Km 


ADULT 

CLASS 
STUDY 

BY 

IRVING   F.  WOOD 


ADULT  CLASS  STUDY 


Edited  by  CHARLES   FOSTER   KENT 


ADULT   CLASS   STUDY 


IRVING   F.    WOOD 


THE    PILGRIM    PRESS 

BOSTON  NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1911 
By  Irving  F.  Wood 


THB  •  PLIMPTON  •  PRESS 

[■W  -D  -O] 
HORWOOD  •  MASS  •  U  •  S  •  A 


PREFACE 

The  adult  class  is  a  distinct  division  of  the 
Sunday-school.  Neither  in  purpose  nor  in  method 
should  it  be  dominated  by  the  rest  of  the  school. 
It  is  as  distinct  as  a  debating  club  or  a  Chautauqua 
circle  is  from  a  grade  school.  It  is  essential,  there- 
fore, that  in  the  present  series  of  Manuals  the 
problems  of  the  adult  class  should  have  separate 
treatment. 

Questions  regarding  the  organization  and  man- 
agement of  the  class  are  considered  in  another 
volume.  This  book  deals  simply  with  the  subject 
of  adult  class  study.  It  attempts  to  suggest 
what  can  be  done  in  various  types  of  classes 
with  various  types  of  subjects.  Variety  in  the 
adult  class  is  the  key  to  the  highest  usefulness. 
Classes  differ  as  much  as  individuals,  and  no  two 
ought  to  be  treated  alike.  For  the  leaders  and 
members  of  classes,  then,  a  consideration  of  what 
lines  of  study  are  available  and  how  they  may  be 
used  so  as  to  obtain  the  best  results  is  a  matter 
of  fundamental  importance. 

That  this  little  book  may  be  helpful  in  aiding 
adult  classes  to  become  more  useful  factors  in 


VI  PREFACE 

building  up  the  kingdom  of  God  is  the  hope  of 
the  writer  and  the  editor.  Rev.  Newton  M. 
Hall,  D.D.,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  has  read  much 
of  the  manuscript  of  this  book.  I  wish  to 
acknowledge  my  debt  for  this  kindness,  as  well 
as  for  much  help  in  the  past  from  Dr.  Hall's 
experience  and  publications  in  the  field  of  adult 
class  teaching. 


CONTENTS 

PART  ONE 
ADULT  CLASS  STUDY 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  The  Psychology  of  the  Adult  Class      .     .     . 

II  The  Purpose  op  Adult  Class  Study  .... 

III  The  Principles  op  Adult  Class  Study    . 

IV  The  Use  of  the  Bible  by  the  Adult  Class 
V  The  Adult  Class  and  Extra-biblical  Subjects 

VI    The  Religious  Value  of  the  Study  .... 


PART  TWO 

COURSES  FOR  ADULT  CLASS  STUDY 

VII    The  International  System 75 

VIII     The  Bible  Study  Union  Lessons         86 

IX    The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Courses  92 

X    The  Constructive  Bible  Studies 97 

XI    Additional  Bible  Study  Courses 104 

XII    Bible  Reading  Courses 114 

XIII    Extra-biblical  Courses 126 


vu 


PART  ONE 
ADULT  CLASS  STUDY 


ADULT  CLASS  STUDY 


THE  PSYCHOLOGY  OF  THE 
ADULT  CLASS 

A  COLLEGE  professor  of  much  experience  said, 
"In  my  earlier  years  of  teaching  I  thought  most 
The  Study  of  my  subject.  Now  I  think  most  of 
of  Pupils  jj^y  pupils."  This  change  is  to  be 
expected.  The  efficient  teacher  will  try  to  gain 
a  reasonable  mastery  of  his  subject,  but  he  will 
never  forget  his  class,  and  as  his  experience  grows, 
his  class  will  become  far  more  interesting  than 
his  subject.  This  is  as  true  of  Sunday-school 
as  of  any  other  teaching.  There  has  been  a  great 
demand  of  late  years  for  better  lessons.  The 
demand  came  because  the  need  existed.  But 
the  Sunday-school  teacher  above  all  teachers 
should  think  most  of  his  pupils.  He  ought  to 
have  some  clear  knowledge  of  the  Bible.  He 
ought  also  to  have  some  clear  knowledge  of  the 
peculiar  needs  and  limitations  of  the  persons 
who  make  up  his  class.  For  the  teacher  of 
adults,  this  is  a  task  of  greater  difficulty,  with 
less  outside  aid,  than  for  other  teachers. 

3 


4  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

The  difficulty  lies  in  the  greater  differentiation 
and  individuality  of  adults.    Children,  considered 

one  by  one,  are  very  unlike,  but  averages 
lemwith  of  groups  are  startlingly  alike.  An 
an  Adult      educator   arranged   to   have   the   same 

story  told  to  groups  of  children  in  an 
English  city,  an  inland  American  town,  and  an 
East-side  school  in  New  York.  The  story  told 
how  a  little  boy,  Johnny,  was  abused  by  a  big 
boy,  Billy.  Later  Johnny  had  a  chance  to 
avenge  himself  on  Billy.  What  ought  he  to 
have  done?  The  percentage  of  children  who 
thought  Johnny  ought  to  have  taken  vengeance 
varied  with  the  ages,  but  for  the  same  age  it 
was  the  same  in  all  the  groups.  Child  psychology 
taken  on  the  whole  is  uniform,  that  of  adults  less 
so.  High  school  classes  differ  more  than  classes 
in  the  grades,  college  classes  more  than  those 
in  high  school,  adult  classes  more  than  those  in 
college.  It  is  on  this  account  that  teachers  and 
classes  must  be  more  closely  fitted  to  each  other 
in  the  adult  section  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  Sunday-school.  Unless  a  teacher  is  unusually 
adaptable,  the  very  fact  that  he  has  succeeded 
with  one  adult  class  creates  a  presumption  that 
he  will  not  succeed  so  well  with  another  adult 
class  of  a  different  type.  "Why  did  Dr.  A  make 
such  an  absolute  failure  as  a  college  president?" 
asked  one  educator  of  another.     "He  had  been 


PSYCHOLOGY     OF     ADULT     CLASS       5 

a  very  successful  pastor  and  thought  he  could 
run  a  college  like  a  church,"  was  the  reply. 
It  will  seldom  be  possible  for  a  teacher  to  run 
class  B  like  class  A,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  all 
adult  classes  have  certain  qualities  in  common. 

There  is  less  help  for  the  understanding  of  these 
common  qualities  than  for  those  of  any  other 
kind  of  students.  The  recent  liter a- 
erature  on  ture  of  education  is  abundant.  Child 
Adult  Psy-  psychology  and  the  problems  of  adoles- 
cence have  been  most  carefully  studied. 
Every  teacher  dealing  with  pupils  to  the  close 
of  the  adolescent  period  may  be  supplied  with 
the  richest  fruits  of  modern  educational  study, 
but  there  is  almost  nothing  for  the  teacher  of 
adults.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  recognized  as 
never  before  that  education  does  not  cease  with 
adolescence.  It  continues  to  the  end  of  life.  The 
attitude  of  educators  is  expressed  by  President 
Eliot.  "It  has  been  too  much  the  custom  to 
think  of  education  as  an  affair  of  youth,  and  even 
of  the  earlier  youth;  but  it  really  should  be  the 
work  of  the  whole  life.  .  .  .  The  prolongation  of 
the  period  of  formal  education  for  a  considerable 
minority  of  American  children,  and  the  provisions 
of  summer  schools,  evening  schools,  trade  schools, 
correspondence  schools,  business  colleges,  and 
reading  circles  of  many  sorts,  with  public  libraries 
and  book  clubs,  illustrate  the  increasing  prevalence 


6  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

of  the  new  idea  that  education  is  to  be  prolonged 
through  adult  life,  and  may  be  carried  on  in  a 
systematic  and  active  way  long  after  the  individual 
has  begun  to  earn  his  livelihood  in  whole  or  in 
part."  ^  Why,  then,  have  we  no  study  of  the 
psychology  of  adult  education?  Mainly  because 
the  literature  of  education  is  based  on  the  secular 
schools,  not  on  the  Sunday-schools.  When  the 
work  of  the  church  in  education  becomes  as 
scientific  as  the  work  of  the  school  is  today,  we 
shall  have  as  careful  studies  of  adult  education  as 
we  now  have  of  the  education  of  the  child.  This 
will  come  in  time. 

The  common  qualities  of  adult  classes  grow 
out  of  the  common  relations  of  men  and  women 
to  life.  Their  peculiarities  depend  on 
Character-  differences  of  education,  occupation, 
AduUs^  habits  of  thought,  and  religious  and 
cultural  development.  The  common 
qualities  are  fundamental.  They  are  deeply 
seated  in  the  emotional  nature.  They  have  to 
do  with  those  relations  to  life  which,  as  the  years 
go  on,  all  men  and  women  enter.  Life  presents 
its  lessons  in  a  thousand  ways,  but  the  great 
facts  of  feeling  and  will  which  make  life  worth 
living  do  not  greatly  differ.  The  adult  class  of 
the  fashionable  church  on  the  avenue  and  of  the 
little  country  school  at  the  Four  Corners  are  much 

*  Education  for  Efficiency,  p.  2. 


PSYCHOLOGY     OF     ADULT     CLASS       7 

more  alike,  in  their  feeling  toward  life,  than  they 
seem  to  be.  It  is  with  these  common  qualities 
that  the  psychology  of  the  adult  class  deals. 

Much  educational  psychology  is  concerned  with 
what  is  called  mental  processes;  that  is,  the  way 
Adult  Men-  ^^^  niind  works.  Adult  life  modifies 
tal  Proc-      mental  processes.     The  mind  is  the  same 

ACQ  AQ 

machine,  its  general  method  of  working 
is  the  same,  but  it  has  numberless  slight  variations 
from  its  own  working  at  an  earlier  age.  As  in 
all  complicated  machines,  use  has  produced  a 
variety  of  effects. 

The  power  of  attention  has  grown.  The  child 
can  give  attention  to  an  object  for  only  a  short 
period  of  time.  The  mind  rests  upon  a  point; 
then,  like  a  butterfly,  it  flits  elsewhere.  Educa- 
tion is  in  part  an  attempt  to  train  the  power  of 
attention.  The  men  who  accomplish  great  things 
are  in  general  those  who  have  the  power  of  atten- 
tion best  under  control;  but  in  all  ordinary  persons 
it  still  keeps  much  of  its  butterfly  quality.  With 
most,  its  training  results  in  the  power  to  make 
only  short  flights  and  often  come  back  to  its 
former  position,  rather  than  in  the  power  to  rest 
long  on  any  one  point.  Test  it  for  yourself. 
Look  steadily  at  any  word  on  this  page  —  like 
"test,"  "training,"  "butterfly" — for  five  minutes 
and  note  the  result.  "In  the  first  minute  we 
see  the  word  and  understand  its  meaning,  but 


8  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

soon  our  attention  cannot  persist,  the  meaning 
fades  away;  our  eyes  still  see  those  dead  letters, 
but  there  is  no  longer  a  word.*'^  Our  attention 
takes  a  series  of  short  vacations  by  flitting  to 
other  realms  and  coming  back  again.  In  this 
way  it  meets  the  natural  strain  of  fatigue.  Such 
an  experiment  shows  us  that  it  will  not  do  to 
assume  that  because  people  are  grown  up  we 
can  expect  any  prolonged  strain  upon  attention. 
Test  this  in  another  way.  Recall  your  own  feel- 
ing after  listening  to  some  address  or  sermon 
filled  with  close  reasoning  and  relieved  by  no 
humor  or  anecdote.  Did  you  not  find  the  effort 
to  follow  it  growing  greater,  and  at  the  end,  if 
your  interest  or  your  will  power  had  held  your 
attention  through  it,  were  you  not  tired?  "Were 
ye  tired  after  that  sermon  .f^"  was  asked  of  a  Scotch 
minister.  "No,  but  it  would  a'  done  ye  good  to 
see  how  tired  the  congregation  was,"  he  said. 
If  that  sermon  had  been  so  good  as  to  compel 
their  attention,  they  would  not  have  been  in  the 
least  tired. 

The  wise  teacher  of  adults  will  remember  that 
he,  no  less  than  the  teacher  of  children,  must 

A*x    X..       allow  for  the  fatigue  of  attention.     Even 

Attention        .  ,       ,   ,  .  .       , 

with  adults,  attention  cannot  be  strained 

too  much.     The  method  of  relief  will  be  different 

from  that  of  the  teacher  of  children,  but  relief 

*  Miinsterberg,  Psychology  of  the  Teacher,  p.  164. 


PSYCHOLOGY     OF     ADULT     CLASS       9 

must  be  studied  none  the  less.  Here  lies  the 
function  of  the  illustration,  of  humor,  of  the 
*' aside,"  of  the  suggestive  phrase  which  calls  up 
a  picture  for  the  mind  to  dwell  upon  for  a  moment 
in  the  midst  of  abstract  reasoning.  A  large  part 
of  the  value  of  discussion  in  the  adult  class  lies 
in  the  perpetual  variety  which  furnishes  a  relief 
to  the  attention.  The  eager  teacher  is  often 
prone  to  demand  too  much  concentration.  Re- 
member that  the  mind  is  like  a  horse,  which 
cannot  live  on  oats  alone,  but  must  have  some 
hay.  This  also  furnishes  one  reason  for  lessons 
with  considerable  variety  and  fulness  of  content. 
The  old  International  lessons  often  erred  in 
presenting  too  small  a  surface  of  subject  matter 
for  the  average  class.  After  the  attention  was 
exhausted,  simply  a  rambling  discussion  followed. 
Another  universal  quality  important  for  the 
adult  class  is  association.     The  psychologists  tell 

us  that  intelligent  children  make  con- 
Association  .     . 

Crete  associations —    cat     recalls  some 

particular  cat  —  and  that  adults  are  more  apt 
to  make  abstract  associations.  This  is  particu- 
larly true  in  religious  realms,  where  adults  have 
had  training  in  abstract  concepts.  Again,  test 
it  with  yourself.  Give  attention  to  the  ideas 
which  come  into  your  mind  as  you  read  the  words 
"church,"  "love,"  "prayer,"  or  "worship."  Was 
it  the  church  in  general,  or  some  particular  edi- 


10  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

fice;  love  as  the  Christian  virtue,  or  some  loving 
person  of  which  you  thought?  Now  while  the 
adult  is  more  inclined  to  think  abstractly  than 
the  child,  two  things  remain  true :  concrete  associa- 
tions still  retain  a  certain  picturesque  attract- 
iveness which  makes  it  wise  to  encourage  them 
in  teaching;  and  there  are  always  some  adults, 
often  those  who  profit  most  by  the  class,  who 
retain  all  their  life  a  tendency  to  concrete  associa- 
tions. The  teacher  of  an  adult  class  ought  to 
make  a  study  of  the  associations  of  the  class, 
both  individually  and  in  common.  Think,  for 
example,  of  your  last  Sunday's  lesson.  If  there 
was,  as  there  always  should  be,  freedom  of  dis- 
cussion, what  was  the  final  subject  which  the 
class  considered.'^  What  led  to  it.^^  What  were 
the  steps  by  which  the  discussion  developed,  and 
what  subject  in  the  lesson  furnished  the  point 
of  departure  for  the  discussion  .^^  Write  out  the 
chain  of  association,  if  you  can.  If  you  cannot, 
give  attention  to  it  next  Sunday  and  write  it 
out  after  you  come  home,  putting  down  merely 
catchwords  of  what  led  from  point  to  point.  Do 
this  for  several  weeks.  Note  how  the  different 
members  of  the  class  associate  subjects.  Note 
what  points  which  might  have  been  expected  to 
lead  to  discussion  were  not  followed  up  by  the 
class.  You  will  find  in  such  a  study  a  marvelous 
revelation   of   the   mental   habits   and   the   real 


PSYCHOLOGY  OF  ADULT  CLASS   11 

interests  of  your  class.  When  your  class  dis- 
cusses religion,  do  they  show  most  interest  in 
the  personal  or  the  social  aspect  of  it?  When 
they  start  with  a  Bible  story,  do  they  see  its 
bearing  on  any  special  elements  of  modern  life? 
Many  a  class  failure  could  be  turned  into  a  success 
if  the  teacher  would  study  the  free,  unrestricted 
association  of  ideas  in  its  discussions. 

Another  difference  is  the  shorter  time  needed 
for  association  in  adults.     The  adult  mind  usually 

passes  from  one  idea  to  another  more 
quired  for  rapidly  than  the  child.  This  also  has 
o/ldeas'°''  its  effect  in  teaching.     There  may  be 

more  "touch  and  go"  in  adult  class 
teaching.  The  teacher  may  safely  pack  more 
into  a  given  time.  Explanation  and  elaboration 
may  be  curtailed.  Discussions  may  wander  wider 
and  move  more  rapidly  from  point  to  point  than 
would  be  profitable  with  a  younger  class.  Perhaps 
in  no  part  of  the  teaching  is  a  successful  teacher 
of  children  more  likely  to  fail  with  an  adult  class 
than  here. 

A  third  point  is  that  association  moves  over  a 
wider  range  in  an  adult  than  in  a  child,  be- 
Wider  cause  of  broader  experience.  "Sweet" 
Range  j^^  longer  suggests  only  "candy"  or 
"sugar,"  or  some  other  object  in  the  realm  of 
taste,  but  may  suggest  a  bird-song,  a  little 
child,  the  face  of  Jesus  ("Celestial  sweetness  sits 


12  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

enthroned"),  Matthew  Arnold's  "sweetness  and 
light,"  Jonathan  Edwards'  characteristic  word 
**  sweetness,"  or  many  other  things  in  many 
fields.  This  breadth  of  association  also  bears  on 
adult  teaching.  It  makes  a  wide  range  of  sub- 
jects natural  to  the  adult  class.  It  leads  us  to 
beware  of  criticising  a  class  discussion  because 
it  seems  to  go  far  afield;  perhaps  it  only  follows 
the  natural  course  of  association  in  the  minds  of 
the  class.  This  suggests  the  wisdom  of  consider- 
able freedom  in  the  development  of  discussion, 
and  the  recognition  that  a  close  following  of  the 
logical  order  of  a  subject  may  not  be  the  most 
profitable  method  of  class  discussion. 

Another  element  of  common  psychology  is  the 
rhythm  of  work  and  fatigue.  We  are  familiar 
Mental  with  it  in  physical  labor.  Anyone  can 
Rhythm  j-^g^  jj-  jj^  mental  labor.  Read  ten  unre- 
lated words,  as,  for  example,  the  words  under  each 
other  at  one  margin  of  this  page;  then  try  to 
repeat  them  from  memory.  The  first  effort  will 
not  be  so  successful  as  the  fifth  or  tenth.  But 
continue  it  for  fifteen  minutes,  and  success  will 
begin  to  wane.  This  is  the  principle  of  accelera- 
tion and  fatigue.  It  holds  as  well  of  adult  class 
effort  as  of  all  other  labor.  A  teacher  will  not 
expect  thought  to  move  rapidly  at  the  beginning 
of  the  hour.  If  he  wishes  to  start  a  discussion, 
his  suggestions  must  be  more  explicit  than  they 


PSYCHOLOGY     OF     ADULT     CLASS       13 

need  to  be  a  little  later.  The  mind  will  not  take 
the  bait  quite  so  eagerly.  Then  the  teaching 
should  be  adapted  to  the  growing  mental  alertness 
of  the  class.  Notice  for  yourself  if  the  discussion 
in  your  class  is  not  very  different  in  character 
at  the  beginning  and  fifteen  minutes  later.  Has 
it  not  increased  in  alertness  and  suggestiveness? 
Later  still  comes  mental  fatigue.  That  is  the 
time  for  review  or  for  illustration.  It  is  better  yet 
if  the  class  closes  before  the  least  hint  of  mental 
fatigue  is  visible,  with  all  the  senses  alert  for  the 
next  lesson.  The  time  will  vary  with  different 
classes,  and  with  different  lessons  in  the  same 
class.  This  matter  is  worthy  of  careful  study,  for 
the  conditions  differ  in  each  class. 

No  difference  between  the  youth  and  the  adult 
is  so  great  or  has  such  far-reaching  effects  as 
Adult  ^^^   difference   made  by   the   relations 

Slffe°^  in  life.  Self-support;  the  relation  to 
necessary  labor,  whether  in  the  home 
or  outside;  the  obligations  to  varying  groups  of 
friends  and  to  the  social  community;  the  recog- 
nition of  social,  civic,  and  church  duties  all  make 
radical  differences  in  the  adult  point  of  view. 
Obligations  to  husband  or  wife  and  children  are 
of  the  same  nature,  but  more  intimate  and  more 
pressing,  and  so  more  weighty  in  their  conse- 
quences. All  these  affect  the  attitude  toward 
life   so   deeply   that   adult   teaching   must   take 


14  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

them  into  careful  account.  The  first  thing  is  to 
find,  so  far  as  may  be,  what  is  the  attitude  of 
the  class  in  these  matters.  The  class  stands  in 
the  following  relations:  employment,  home,  rela- 
tives, friends  and  acquaintances,  civic  and  politi- 
cal, church.  Make  it  your  business  as  teacher  to 
learn  in  a  general  way  how  the  members  of  your 
class  stand  in  these  relations.  To  watch  the 
course  of  discussions  in  the  class  for  half  a  dozen 
Sundays  will  usually  reveal  the  trend  of  interest. 
Do  they  respond  with  more  alacrity  to  sugges- 
tions of  church  duties  than  of  home  duties,  or 
the  opposite.^  Are  they  interested  in  matters  of 
civic  betterment.'^  Do  they  care  to  discuss  the 
relation  of  religion  to  the  problems  of  their  indus- 
trial life.?  A  wise  teacher  need  seldom  seek  per- 
sonal information  to  learn  how  most  of  the  class 
view  their  relation  to  the  various  obligations  of 
life.  As  he  learns,  he  can  strengthen  that  which 
is  weak,  lead  from  one  interest  to  another,  help 
each  member  of  the  class  to  emphasize  the  sacred- 
ness  of  his  own  special  interest,  and  make  every 
hour  of  the  class  work  throb  with  the  good  red 
blood  of  actual  life.  The  adult  class  cannot 
afford  to  remain  in  realms  remote  from  daily 
living.  Children  can  properly  be  interested  with 
fairy  stories,  but  any  abiding  interest  in  the  adult 
class  must  come  from  a  bearing  of  the  lesson  in 
some  way  on  actual  life. 


PSYCHOLOGY      OF     ADULT     CLASS      15 

Certain  rules  in  teaching  grow  out  of  this 
fundamental  fact  of  adult  psychology. 

The  chief  aim  of  education  is  efficiency.  That 
is  the  keynote  of  all  modern  education.  The 
^^  .  adult  teacher  must  keep  very  close  to 

Efficiency       .  rw^^        -  <•     1  1    1  .     1    . 

it.  Ine  mterest  oi  the  adult  mmd  m 
the  relations  of  life  is  so  great  that  you  cannot 
long  command  its  attention  with  things  wholly 
apart  from  these  relations.  These  relations  can 
all  be  viewed  from  the  religious  standpoint.  All 
adult  Sunday-school  teaching  must  increase  relig- 
ious efficiency  in  the  actual  relations  of  life. 

The  group  interest  is  worthy  of  special  atten- 
tion in  adult  teaching.     The  child,  impulsively 

loving  and  generous  though  he  may 
Impulse^      often  be,  is  naturally  self-centered,  but 

the  adult  is  so  placed  in  life  that  he 
can  seldom  miss  some  perception  of  the  value  of 
the  social  group.  Even  the  most  selfish  adult, 
whether  sheltered  in  a  self-centered  home  or 
fighting  alone  a  hard  battle  with  the  world, 
recognizes  group  obligations.  It  is  the  work  of 
religious  teaching  to  seize  upon  this  group  inter- 
est, strengthen  its  obligation,  broaden  its  range, 
uplift  its  motive.  Here  lies  psychologically  the 
strongest  basis  of  appeal  for  the  home,  the 
church,  the  town,  the  native  land,  and  the  mis- 
sion enterprise.  Carried  to  its  highest  develop- 
ment, the  social  group  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 


16  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

The  kingdom  of  God  cannot  be  made  to  reveal 
its  full  meaning  to  a  child,  but  the  group  inter- 
est of  the  adult  mind  leads  directly  to  it. 

Adult  experience  often  results  in  certain  atti- 
tudes toward  life  which  differ  radically  from  those 
Psychologi-  ^^  ^^  earlier  age.  One  is  the  attitude 
cal  Effects  of  disillusion.  No  one  reaches  adult 
Experience:  ^^^^  without  seeing  some  hopes  fail. 
Disillusion-  gome  promises  lack  fulfilment.  An 
ment  •       i         «.  •  •  i  , 

attitude   of   caution,   with   a   tendency 

toward  general  skepticism,  is  a  frequent  result. 
Youth  also  has  a  period  of  skepticism  and  dis- 
trust. Most  thinking  young  people  pass  through 
such  a  period,  as  a  part  of  normal  growth;  but 
the  skepticism  and  distrust  of  adult  life  is  differ- 
ent. That  of  youth  belongs  to  the  period  of 
storm  and  stress.  It  is  hasty,  passionate,  indis- 
criminating.  That  of  adult  life  is  cautious,  delib- 
erate, willing  to  make  many  exceptions.  It  grows 
out  of  the  hard  experiences  of  life,  and  so  I  have 
called  it  disillusion.  It  has  sundry  manifesta- 
tions. Sometimes  it  issues  in  a  general  pessi- 
mistic attitude,  the  contrast  of  the  natural 
optimism  of  youth.  This  varies  from  the  sneer- 
ing, bitter  kind,  which  does  not  often  find  its 
way  into  the  adult  class,  to  a  good-natured  doubt 
as  to  whether  anything  will  turn  out  quite  as 
well  as  people  expect.  The  attitude  is  often 
uncomfortable  for  the  adult  teacher,  especially 


PSYCHOLOGY  OF  ADULT  CLASS   17 

if  that  teacher  has  anything  new  to  propose  to 
the  class,  for  it  is  apt  to  be  fond  of  spreading 
wet  blankets;  however,  it  is  seldom  vicious  and 
is  often  an  attitude  not  in  the  least  blameworthy. 
We  must  recognize  it  as  a  perfectly  natural  reac- 
tion of  certain  types  of  mind  in  contact  with 
certain  facts  of  experience.  This  pessimism  never 
yields  to  a  deliberate  attack.  The  wise  teacher 
will  let  it  alone,  but  will  try  to  build  up  by  the 
side  of  it  a  recognition  of  all  the  good  things  in 
the  world:  high  motives,  unselfish  deeds,  gener- 
ous judgments.  No  field  supplies  these  as  does 
the  Christian  religion.  If  the  adult  class  can 
only  bring  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  love  of 
Christ  to  bear  on  daily  life,  pessimism  will  soon 
disappear.  Here  is  one  power  of  the  study  of 
missions.  Often  the  story  of  mission  devotion 
and  its  result  has  touched  persons  in  this  attitude, 
and  given  them  such  a  faith  in  God  and  man  as 
not  even  the  story  of  the  life  of  Christ  could 
produce.  It  is  the  old  tale  of  how  the  wind  and 
the  sunshine  contended  to  make  the  traveler 
throw  off  his  cloak.  If  the  class  can  be  filled 
with  the  sense  of  the  real  nobility  and  heroism 
which  is  in  the  world,  the  pessimistic  attitude, 
even  if  it  persists,  will  be  carried  like  a  cloak  on 
the  arm. 

Akin  to  this  is  the  frequent  adult  tendency  to 
the  distrust  of  emotion.     It  is  natural  that  in 


18  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

youth  emotion,  with  other  experiences  of  life, 
should  be  taken  at  its  face  value.  A  few  people. 
Distrust  of  not  always  the  strongest,  never  lose  that 
Emotion  youthful  attitude.  Most  adults  learn  to 
be  a  little  suspicious  of  emotion.  Nowhere  is  this 
suspicion  so  strong  as  in  religion.  The  emotional 
side  of  religion  has  appealed  to  many  young  people. 
They  have  been  swept  away  by  it,  and  when  they 
found  it  unstable  and  evanescent,  have  settled 
down  to  an  abiding  distrust  of  anything  emotional 
in  religion,  and  often  to  a  distrust  of  religion 
itself,  supposing  it  to  be  nothing  but  emotion.* 
Now  religious  emotion,  sadly  overworked  as  it 
has  been,  has  its  place.  Happily  for  this  kind  of 
people,  its  place  is  not  in  the  adult  class.  Here 
is  the  very  place  where  those  with  this  attitude 
of  distrust  should  find  their  best  religious  help. 
Here  they  may  learn  that  religion  is  not  emotion, 
but  life.  Here  the  intellectual  and  the  ethical 
may  receive  large  emphasis.  Here  the  pleasant 
interchange  of  thought,  the  calm  discussion,  the 
humorous  turn,  will  often  result  in  placing  religion 
on  a  new  basis.  In  time,  religious  emotion  may 
be  again  trusted,  but  put  in  its  proper  place  as  a 
by-product  of  the  religious  life,  not  as  its  main 
content. 

1  For  many  cases  in  point,  see  Starbuck,  The  Psychology  of  Relig- 
ion, Chaps.  XVIII-XIX.  The  experience  is  more  common  than  is 
usually  supposed. 


PSYCHOLOGY     OF     ADULT     CLASS      19 

The  class  ought  to  welcome,  then,  people  who 
are  pessimistic  or  distrustful  of  emotion.  Of  all 
our  Christian  institutions,  a  good  adult  class  is 
the  best  and  most  helpful  place  for  them.  Very 
often,  too,  they  can  bring  to  it  a  clear-sighted 
view  of  life  which  no  other  type  of  person  can 
offer.  On  the  whole,  I  am  not  sure  but  the  best 
teachers  need  them  quite  as  much  as  they  need 
the  teachers;  for  the  best  teachers  are  idealists, 
and  an  idealist  is  always  most  useful  when  some- 
one stands  by  and  insists  that  he  keep  his  feet 
on  solid  earth. 

Another  result  of  experience  is  the  ready 
response  which  the  adult  mind  gives  to  appeals 
The  Place  to  the  will.  A  large  part  of  the  skill 
of  the  Will  Qf  ^  teacher  of  children  lies  in  knowing 
how  to  move  the  will  by  motives  which  suit 
varying  types  of  pupils.  Life  has  still  more  ways 
of  teaching  the  lesson,  so  that  most  of  the  adult 
class  have  learned  the  value  of  the  will  in  life. 
This  fact  makes  the  teaching  in  some  ways  easier. 
It  transfers  much  of  the  emphasis  of  teaching. 
The  teacher  can  assume  that  if  a  thing  is  shown 
to  be  worth  knowing  or  worth  doing,  a  large 
part  of  the  class  will  without  urging  put  forth 
the  effort  which  will  result  in  the  knowledge  or 
the  deed.  The  successful  teacher  of  youth  uses 
all  sorts  of  means  to  urge  them  to  do  the  thing 
that  is  worth  while.     Merely  to  show  that  it  is 


20  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

worth  while  is  jiot  enough.  The  successful  adult 
teacher  tries  to  show  that  the  thing  is  worth  while, 
and  is  willing  to  trust  largely  to  the  experience 
of  life  to  teach  that  what  is  worth  while  ought 
to  be  done.  If,  for  example,  it  can  be  shown 
that  missions  really  have  good  results,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  spend  time  on  the  proposition  that 
missions  ought  to  be  supported. 

Another  result  of  experience  is  the  recognition 
of  the  value  of  habit.  A  large  part  of  the  educa- 
The  Value  tion  of  children  consists  in  inciting  them 
of  Habit  ^Q  form  useful  habits.  The  habits  may 
be  bodily,  like  the  movements  of  sewing  or  piano 
playing,  or  mental,  like  the  habit  of  reading 
or  of  logical  thinking,  or  moral,  like  the  habit 
of  truth-telling  or  of  prayer.  The  education  of 
adults  is  directed  not  so  much  to  form  new  habits 
as  to  adapt  those  already  formed  to  more  useful 
purposes.  The  habit  of  sewing  is  already  formed, 
and  the  woman  takes  a  course  in  dressmaking. 
The  habit  of  manual  labor  is  formed,  and  the  man 
takes  a  course  in  wood-carving.  Now  the  object 
of  the  Sunday-school  adult  class,  defined  in  terms 
of  habit,  is  to  turn  habits  of  the  religious  life 
to  more  useful  purposes.  It  is  a  great  help  to 
adult  education  that  life  has  taught  the  value 
of  habits.  Think  of  the  things  in  religious  life 
which  ought  to  become  habits:  Bible  study, 
prayer,  public  worship,  truth-telling,  trustworthi- 


PSYCHOLOGY  OF  ADULT  CLASS   21 

ness,  cheerfulness,  kindly  judgment  of  others, 
sympathy,  helpfulness  —  a  long  list  could  be 
made.  You  might  try  an  experiment  in  your  class. 
Make  a  list,  during  perhaps  three  months,  of 
qualities  and  actions,  as  they  arise  in  class  dis- 
cussions, which  ought  to  be  habitual  for  the 
religious  person.  Such  a  list  would  be  a  more 
powerful  sermon  than  any  minister  could  preach, 
because  for  long  years  life  itself  has  been  preach- 
ing daily  of  the  power  of  habits.  You  need  not 
say  much.  Anything  you  can  say  will  be  weak 
beside  the  insistent  voice  of  experience. 

Lastly,  the  adult  class  benefits  by  the  past 
development  of  religious  experience.  Religious 
Religious  experience  is  of  various  kinds.  It  can- 
Expenence  j^^^.  ^|j  ^^  gauged  by  one  standard. 
Even  the  member  of  the  class  who  seems  most 
indifferent  to  religion  has  really  had  a  great  deal 
of  religious  experience.  What  else  were  the 
large  hopes  of  youth,  the  half-unconscious  trust 
in  a  guiding  Providence,  the  inarticulate  prayers 
when  sorrow  and  disappointment  came.^^  The 
whole  fundamental  structure  of  most  lives  is 
religious,  whether  the  persons  themselves  realize 
it  or  not. 

In  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  the  adult 
class  usually  has  a  rich  body  of  religious  experi- 
ences to  build  upon.  The  teacher  ought  always 
to  keep  this  in  mind.     The  class  is  both  to  acquire 


22  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

new  experiences,  and  to  enrich,  broaden,  and  rein- 
terpret experiences  already  precious.  The  teacher 
should  study  those  experiences.  Where  have 
they  departed  from  conventional  lines  .^^  —  for  you 
may  be  sure  that  they  have  been  unconventional 
in  some  persons.  Has  the  experience  been  fairly 
uniform,  or  does  the  class  present  various  types  .^ 
Has  it  been  developed  in  the  church  or  not;  under 
emphasis  on  ritual  or  creed  or  emotion  or  on  none 
of  these  .^  How  would  the  religious  life  differ  if 
it  had  been  developed  under  other  circumstances? 
Is  it  unbalanced  in  any  direction.^  How  can  its 
strength  be  emphasized  and  its  weakness  over- 
comes^ No  teacher  has  so  rich  a  past  to  work 
upon  as  the  Sunday-school  adult  teacher,  and  no 
one  has  so  fine  an  ideal  to  work  toward.  His 
ideal  is  *'the  development  of  the  Christ-life"  in 
himself  and  in  the  class. 

Books  bearing  on  adult  class  psychology: 

James,   "Talks  to  Teachers  on  Psychology."     Holt, 

1900. 
MuNSTERBERG,     "Psychology     and     the     Teacher." 

Appletons,  1909. 
Starbuck,  "The  Psychology  of  Religion."     Scribners, 

1899. 
CoE,  "The  Spiritual  Life;    Studies  in  the  Science  of 

Religion."     Eaton  and  Mains,  1900. 
"The  Religion   of  a   Mature   Mind."      RevelU 

1902. 


II 

THE  PURPOSE  OF  ADULT 
CLASS  STUDY 

Every  adult  class  should  have  its  distinct 
purpose.     This  does  not  mean  that  every  class, 

even  in  the  same  Sunday-school,  should 
of  a  Defi-  have  the  same  purpose.  Rather,  it 
pos^e^"^"      i^^aiis  the  exact  opposite.     Each  class 

should  study  to  individualize  itself  and 
to  see  exactly  what  its  proper  object  is  as  distinct 
from  that  of  every  other  class.  The  adult  adher- 
ents of  any  church  are  of  various  tastes  and 
spiritual  needs.  Often  they  are  of  very  different 
intellectual  training.  The  pastor  in  the  pulpit 
must  deal  with  them  more  or  less  in  the  mass. 
He  is  often  conscious  that  what  is  strong  meat 
for  one  will  be  rather  watery  milk  for  another. 
There  are  reasons  why  a  church  should  cut 
through  all  classes  and  conditions  in  a  community. 
The  church  represents  the  comprehensive  king- 
dom of  God.  But  the  adult  class,  which  is  not 
the  church,  but  only  a  means  of  most  effectively 
accomplishing  certain  results  in  the  church,  may 

23 


24  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

well  adjust  itself  more  specifically  to  the  particular 
needs  of  certain  groups. 

Should  the  adult  class,  then,  aim  to  be  as  large 
as  possible,  to  comprehend  all  the  adults  in  the 
„     ,  church?     Should  it  be  the  adult  class 

and  Pur-  of  the  Sunday-school?  I  answer  with- 
^°^®  out  hesitation.    No.     It    is    true    that 

there  is  a  glamour  about  mere  numbers  which 
makes  a  large  class,  like  a  rolling  snowball,  in- 
crease in  proportion  to  its  size.  There  are  certain 
cases  where  the  strong  personality  of  a  teacher 
gathers  a  large  class  who  would  not  otherwise  be 
drawn  together.  Such  cases  are  neither  common 
nor  ideal.  In  recent  adult  class  movements,  with 
machinery  largely  designed  to  multiply  numbers 
and  with  much  emphasis  on  attractive  features, 
classes  of  a  hundred  and  a  hundred  and  fifty  are 
not  unknown.  The  need  of  adult  classes  is  so 
great  that  one  hesitates  to  criticise  them  because 
they  seem  to  succeed  too  well,  but  we  must  look 
upon  such  overgrown  classes  as  a  means  to  some- 
thing better  in  the  future.  The  experience  of 
colleges  and  universities  is  of  value  for  the 
Sunday-school.  These  institutions,  with  trained 
teachers  and  all  the  aids  which  professional  edu- 
cation can  give,  regard  forty  as  about  the  largest 
size  for  a  properly  conducted  class.  Of  course 
mere  lecture  classes  may  increase  indefinitely. 
True,  the  adult  class  is  not  a  college  class,  and 


PURPOSE     OF     STUDY  25 

has  no  "recitation,"  but  it  has,  if  it  is  an  ideal 
class,  discussion,  which  limits  the  convenient  size 
in  much  the  same  way.  The  rule  is  this:  The 
ideal  class  will  not  be  too  large  for  free,  indi- 
vidual discussion.  This  will  limit  the  convenient 
membership  to  forty  or  fifty.  Above  that  num- 
ber it  is  not  a  class,  but  an  audience.  Better 
six  classes  of  twenty-five  than  one  class  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty. 

The  ideal  for  adult  classes  is  found  in  graded 
groups  of  people,  each  group  pursuing  its  own 
purpose,  even  though  all  may  be  study- 
ing the  same  lessons.  It  is  not  essential 
that  the  group  be  large.  Half  a  dozen  people 
may  make  a  class  which  is  quite  as  successful  and 
quite  as  useful  as  the  class  of  fifty.  It  depends 
(1)  upon  grading,  (2)  upon  the  adaptation  of  the 
teacher  to  the  class,  and  (3)  upon  its  purpose. 
To  be  successful  it  must  have  a  purpose. 

What  purpose,  then,  may  the  adult  class  have? 
Its  main  purpose  may  lie  entirely  outside  its  field 
Different  of  study.  Its  purpose  may  be  to 
Purposes  stimulate  interest  in  church  work  among 
its  members  and  others  who  may  be  drawn  into 
the  class.  This  is  a  perfectly  legitimate  purpose, 
and,  for  young  people,  married  or  unmarried,  is 
often  of  great  use.  It  may  be  a  pastor's  class, 
where  he  tries  to  place  himself  in  personal  rela- 
tions with  a  group  of  people.     It  may  exist  to 


26  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

provide  a  Christian  social  center  for  its  members. 
In  these  cases  the  class  is  an  arm  of  pastoral 
work.  But  all  classes  must  have  a  course  of 
study,  and  if  they  are  to  hold  their  membership, 
the  study  must  have  its  definite  and  valued 
purpose.  The  purpose  of  the  study  of  all  classes 
falls  under  one  of  two  general  heads:  (I)  infor- 
mation, or  (II)  inspiration. 

I.  The  class  may  very  properly  desire  to  know 
some  particular  group  of  facts.  There  are  a 
Informa-  large  number  of  things  about  which 
**°^  Christian  people  ought  to  be  informed. 

In  some  cases  practical  action  would  be  very 
different  if  people  only  knew  the  facts  involved. 
In  other  cases  knowledge  is  a  part  of  intelli- 
gent Christianity.  Some  of  these  things  are  not 
appropriate  subjects  for  pulpit  consideration. 
Where  they  are,  it  is  often  much  better  to  present 
them  under  the  conditions  of  free  discussion  in  an 
adult  class.  Where  can  you  find  a  better  place 
to  obtain  and  discuss  the  facts  about  the  modern 
study  of  the  Bible,  or  the  teaching  of  Jesus 
concerning  wealth,  or  the  real  meaning  of  the 
book  of  Revelation,  or  the  actual  relationship  of 
socialism  and  Christianity,  or  the  enforcement  of 
liquor  laws  in  your  own  town.^^  These  subjects, 
and  a  hundred  others,  need  discussion.  The 
average  man  has  questions  about  them  which 
books  and  lectures  do  not  answer.     If  he  is  to 


PURPOSE     OF     STUDY  27 

be  an  intelligent  member  of  a  Christian  com- 
munity, he  needs  a  chance  to  consider  them  from 
all  sides.  We  have  hardly  yet  begun  to  use  the 
adult  class  as  we  might  as  a  means  of  Christian 
education. 

Here  is  a  partial  list  of  subjects  on  which  a  class 
may  seek  information: 

A.  Biblical  Subjects.  1.  The  geography  of 
Palestine.  2.  The  history  of  Israel,  or  some 
Biblical  part  of  it.  3.  The  religion  of  Israel, 
Subjects  JQ  some  of  the  periods  of  its  growth. 
4.  The  characteristics  of  some  group  of  biblical 
books;  history,  prophecy,  wisdom,  apocalypse, 
gospels,  or  epistles.  5.  The  origin,  meaning, 
and  contents  of  some  one  of  the  greater  books 
of  the  Bible,  like  Samuel,  Isaiah,  Job,  Proverbs, 
Mark,  Romans,  or  Hebrews.  6.  The  life  and 
times  of  a  biblical  character;  as,  for  example, 
David,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Nehemiah,  Christ,  or 
Paul.  7.  The  teaching  of  Jesus,  in  general  or 
on  special  subjects.  8.  Paul's  system  of  thought, 
or  that  of  the  Johannine  writings.  9.  The  early 
church  (with  an  attempt  to  realize  its  life  and 
thought,  its  limitations  and  triumphs).  10.  The 
modern  way  of  looking  at  the  Bible:  what  it  is 
and  how  it  compares  with  the  older  way. 

These  subjects  need  not  call  for  special  courses 
of  study.  The  class  which  is  pursuing,  for  exam- 
ple, the  International  Uniform  Lessons  may  well 


28  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

consider  at  the  beginning  what  it  will  try  to  get 
out  of  the  lessons  for  the  coming  quarter.  The 
purpose  may  be  very  simple.  The  class  may 
decide  that  at  the  end  of  the  course  of  lessons 
the  members  will  know  at  least  how  the  towns 
mentioned  are  situated  on  the  map  of  Palestine, 
the  order  of  the  places  visited  in  Paul's  missionary 
journeys,  the  elementary  outlines  of  Hebrew  his- 
tory, or  the  great  divisions  of  the  life  of  Christ. 
A  simple  purpose  is  not  necessarily  a  silly  purpose. 
Every  portion  of  the  Bible  will  open  up  its  own 
possibilities,  and  each  class  will  have  its  own  needs, 
but  some  definite  purpose  the  class  ought  con- 
sciously to  have. 

B.  Historical  Subjects,  1.  The  history  of  the 
Church.  2.  The  history  of  some  particular  period 
Historical  of  the  Church,  as  the  Reformation. 
Subjects  3  'pjjg  lives  and  characters  of  great 
men,  as  Augustine,  Luther,  or  John  Knox.  4. 
The  history  of  a  special  denomination.  5.  The 
growth  of  doctrines  and  ideas  in  the  Church.  6. 
An  outline  of  missionary  history.  7.  The  history 
of  religious  reforms. 

History  is  a  great  balance-wheel.  Half  the 
religious  fads  would  disappear  and  most  of  the 
fretting  alarms  about  the  decay  of  religion  would 
lose  their  power  if  people  knew  the  history  of 
religion. 

C.   Subjects   Concerned  with   Present  Day   Re- 


PURPOSE     OF     STUDY  29 

ligion.  1.  The  present  attitude  toward  religion. 
2.  The  churches  in  America.  3.  Social,  municipal, 
Present  ^^  national  problems  studied  in  the 
Day  light  of  Christianity.     4.   The  doctrines 

e  igion  ^^^  church  life  of  particular  denomi- 
nations. 5.  Reforms:  temperance,  philanthropy, 
and  other  movements.  6.  The  individual  Chris- 
tian life  in  relation  to  present  social  and  business 
conditions.     7.    Mission  work,  home  and  foreign. 

Biblical  and  historical  knowledge  is  not  an  end 
in  itself.  It  exists  for  the  sake  of  life.  The 
complex  life  of  the  present  day  has  many  problems 
on  which  intelligent  Christians  need  information. 
To  take  a  very  simple  illustration,  how  many  of 
your  own  class  know  what  missions  your  denomi- 
nation is  supporting,  or  what  is  the  present 
status  of  temperance  legislation  in  this  country  .^^ 

Some  of  these  subjects  would  call  for  special 
courses  of  study,  others  would  not.  The  Inter- 
national and  other  systems  often  present  material 
which  leads  directly  to  the  treatment  of  some  of 
these  subjects.  The  temperance  lessons  of  the 
International  system  are  often  —  and  not  with- 
out reason  —  regarded  as  a  bore.  The  time 
allowed  for  them  might  well  be  used,  for  a  year, 
in  gathering  information  about  the  local  condi- 
tions concerning  temperance  legislation  and  edu- 
cation and  the  best  ways  of  dealing  with  the 
great  evil. 


30  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

II.  Inspiration.  After  all,  the  thirst  for 
information  is  neither  profound  nor  universal. 
.  .  Adult  classes  usually  consist  of  busy 
people.  They  often  come  to  the  class 
tired,  with  no  time  to  contribute  to  its  informa- 
tion, and  little  inclination  to  assimilate  what 
others  may  contribute.  Inspiration  and  not 
information  is  what  they  want,  and,  whatever 
may  be  the  case  elsewhere,  the  adult  class  should 
have  what  it  wants.  Its  wants  usually  measure 
its  needs  as  well  as  its  capacity.  The  members 
come  worn  with  the  week's  work.  They  want  to 
get  into  a  different  atmosphere  from  that  of  their 
labor.  They  want  to  be  brought  into  touch,  in 
a  more  informal  way  than  by  the  church  service, 
with  the  things  of  the  spirit.  They  want  to  be 
lifted  a  little  in  their  religious  life.  The  adult 
class  may  be  made  a  very  valuable  means  of 
grace.  This  the  class  of  information  ought  to  be, 
and  the  class  of  inspiration  must  be.  The  leader 
is  a  minister  of  the  Word  as  much  as  if  he  stood 
in  the  pulpit  to  preach.  He  ought  to  look  on  his 
task  as  holy  work.  Inspiration  ought  always  to 
be  his  ultimate  purpose.  Sometimes  it  must  be 
his  only  purpose. 

It  is  impossible  to  classify  or  subdivide  this 
purpose,  as  one  may  the  purpose  of  information. 
The  forms  it  will  take  will  be  determined  not  by 
subjects,  but  by  persons;    and  they  will  not  be 


PURPOSE     OF     STUDY  31 

arranged  beforehand  with  the  class.  The  wise 
teacher,  however,  will  look  ahead  over  the  lessons 
and  see  that  no  member  of  the  class  misses  his 
own  needed  inspiration.  Patient  Mrs.  Smith, 
whose  only  wealth  is  her  houseful  of  children,  and 
whose  clothes  look  just  a  little  shabby  —  will  not 
some  lesson  have  a  helpful  message  for  her? 
Mr.  Jones,  whose  business  is  in  danger  of  absorb- 
ing him,  body  and  soul  —  what  lesson  will  water 
the  withering  plant  of  his  spiritual  life.^^  The 
local  election  comes  soon,  perhaps,  with  its  vital 
moral  issue.  Does  any  lesson  lead  naturally  to 
its  full  and  frank  discussion? 

Some  teachers  may  have  the  satisfaction  of 
saying,  "My  class  knows  this  and  this  which  it 
did  not  know  six  months  ago."  The  teacher 
whose  purpose  is  only  inspiration  will  think, 
though  he  may  not  say,  "I  believe  that  A  and  B 
and  C  have  been  helped  in  their  lives  by  being 
members  of  my  class  for  the  last  six  months." 

May  the  two  purposes  be  combined  ?  Certainly. 
That  is  the  ideal  way.  Then  the  class  will  have 
before  it  the  object  of  gaining  information,  and 
the  teacher,  when  he  sits  alone  with  his  lessons, 
will  think  most  of  inspiration. 


Ill 

THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  ADULT 
CLASS   STUDY 

Modern  educational  literature  lays  down  few 

principles  which  will  apply  unchanged  to  the  adult 

class.     This  is  partly  due  to  the  fact 

New  Prin-    j-j^^j.  j-jj^  literature  deals  almost  exclu- 

ciples 

Needed  for  sively  with  childhood  and  adolescence, 

Study    ^^^  ^^^  partly  to  the  fact  that  the  majority 

of  adult  classes  are  not  classes  in  any 

proper  sense.     Their  aim  is  not  educational,  in 

the  strict  meaning  of  the  term.     They  are  more 

properly  clubs,  whose  object  is  the  mutual  benefit 

of  their  members  by  the  discussion  together  of 

religious    subjects    growing    out    of    the    lessons. 

Most  of  the  classes  whose  purpose  was  described 

in  the  last  chapter  as  inspirational  would  fall  in 

this    group.     The    adult    class    needs    a    set    of 

principles  all  its  own.     These  principles  are  in 

the    main    obvious    enough    when    once    stated, 

though  some  of  them  are  very  easily  violated  in 

practise. 

Some  of  the  principles  are  the  following: 

32 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  33 

1.  The  adult  class  must  choose  its  subjects  of 
study  with  reference  to  its  own  needs. 

This  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  the  adult 
class  must  have  a  different  course  from  the  rest 
of  the  school.  That  may  or  may  not  be.  It 
means  that  what  is  done  with  the  course  must 
be  what  is  appropriate  to  the  class.  The  school 
may  all  be  studying  the  life  of  David.  It  will 
profit  the  adult  class  little  to  repeat  for  the  fiftieth 
time  that  David  reigned  seven  years  in  Hebron 
and  thirty  and  three  years  in  Jerusalem;  but  the 
ideals  which  guided  his  public  and  private  life, 
the  Nemesis  of  sin  and  suffering,  the  likeness  of 
his  character  and  statecraft  to  the  life  of  today  — 
these  are  adult  subjects.  In  the  life  of  Jesus 
younger  classes  will  study  the  picture  which  the 
incidents  present.  The  adult  class  will  press 
behind  the  picture  to  the  meaning  of  his  life 
and  teachings.  The  doom  of  thousands  of  adult 
classes  has  been  fixed  when  their  teachers  forgot 
that  they  must  study  adult  subjects  and  proceeded 
to  feed  them  with  milk  and  not  with  meat.  Noth- 
ing is  more  pitiful  than  to  see  grown  men  and 
women,  to  whom  the  stories  of  the  Bible  have  been 
familiar  for  decades,  sitting  down  wearily  once 
again  in  the  outer  court  of  biblical  incident. 

2.  The  adult  class  methods  of  study  are  radically 
different  from  those  of  the  rest  of  the  Sunday-school. 

Certainly,  you  say.     This  fact  is  too  plain  to 


34  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

need  statement.  To  which  I  reply,  It  ought  to 
be,  but  it  is  not.  We  are  the  heirs  of  practise 
formed  in  the  early  days  of  the  International 
Lessons,  when  all  the  school  used  the  same  lesson 
papers  and  gray  haired  men  and  women  patiently 
asked  and  answered  the  printed  questions  set 
before  them  — "What  did  Jesus  say.?"  "What 
did  the  disciples  reply .'^"  "What  did  Jesus  then 
say.f^"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  such  inanities  are 
now  things  of  the  past,  but  their  influence  still 
remains  in  too  little  differentiation  of  the  methods 
employed  by  the  adult  class.  The  principles  which 
follow  aim  to  suggest  proper  adult  class  methods. 

3.  The  adult  class  should  he  a  forum  for  the 
discussion  of  subjects  of  real  social,  moraly  and 
religious   importance. 

There  is  a  place  for  the  lecture  and  address  in 
adult  class  teaching,  but  the  normal  method  is 
that  of  discussion.  These  classes  are  not  little 
pitchers  to  be  filled  up;  no  class  of  any  age  is,  for 
that  matter.  The  members  of  an  adult  class  may 
have  as  much  knowledge  as  their  teacher.  Even 
if  not,  they  usually  do  not  wish  to  listen  to  a 
lecture.  They  want  to  talk  things  over  fully  and 
frankly.  Only  the  class  which  discusses  vital 
themes  in  a  sane  and  constructive  way  has  a 
permanent  lease  of  life.  Such  a  class  will  survive 
a  change  of  teachers  or  any  other  shock.  But 
what  is  discussed  must  be  of  real  value.     How 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  35 

determine  what  is  of  value?  There  is  an  objec- 
tive test:  Does  the  subject  make  hfe  better? 
There  is  a  subjective  test:  Is  the  class  capable 
and  desirous  of  discussing  the  subject?  Many  a 
valuable  subject  is  profitless  for  a  particular 
class,  but  no  teacher  ought  to  be  satisfied  until 
his  class  has  formed  the  habit  of  talking  things 
over.  The  habit  may  not  be  attained  this  week 
or  next  or  for  several  months,  but  that  is  an 
important  goal  to  be  reached.  For  this  reason  a 
class  must  not  be  too  large;  it  must  be  congenial; 
it  must  have  a  teacher  skilful  enough  to  introduce 
subjects  of  value  and  self -rest  rained  enough  not 
to  say  himself  everything  that  can  be  said  about 
them. 

More  important  still  is  another  principle:  ' 
4.    The  discussion   in   an   adult   class  must   he 
absolutely  free. 

Every  member  must  be  free  to  express  his  own 
ideas.  These  ideas  may  be  totally  different  from 
those  of  anyone  else.  Never  mind.  Others  may 
think  them  "heretical"  or  "dangerous"  or  what- 
ever other  choice  epithet  they  choose  to  apply 
to  opinions  they  do  not  hold.  That  makes  no 
difference.  He  has  a  right  to  the  expression  of 
his  opinion.  If  everyone  else  thinks  differently, 
still  his  expression  does  others  no  harm  and  does 
him  a  vast  amount  of  good.  The  adult  class  is  the 
last  place  in  the  world  in  which  to  say  "Hush." 


36  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

Still  further,  if  some  member  holds  an  unpopular 
opinion  the  teacher  must  see  that  it  is  fully  and 
fairly  presented.  He  must  help  to  bring  out  its 
strong  points.  He  ought  to  aid  everyone  in  the 
class  to  do  this,  even  though  the  teacher  may 
not  himself  hold  those  views.  The  teacher  can, 
at  the  same  time,  protect  the  class  from  the 
talkative  man  who  consumes  time  without  profit. 
Having  made  an  opinion  clear,  the  class  will  pass 
on  to  other  matters.  All  must  understand  that 
extensive  argument  is  not  in  place  in  the  class. 
From  this  principle  comes  directly  the  next: 
5.  The  adult  class  is  not  the  place  for  the  settle- 
ment of  questions. 

When  a  subject  has  been  thoroughly  discussed, 
and  the  teacher  has  seen  that  all  sides  have  been 
justly  presented,  drop  it.  It  is  not  necessary 
that  the  class  should  come  to  an  agreement.  If 
there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  in  the  class,  there 
certainly  must  be  no  pressure  to  secure  absolute 
agreement.  You  are,  for  example,  studying  the 
story  of  Christ's  infancy.  To  some  the  virgin 
birth  seems  necessary  to  Christian  faith;  to 
others  it  seems  only  a  beautiful  legend.  Give 
each  side  expression  and  leave  it.  In  this  way 
a  class  may  be  harmonious  and  yet  contain  most 
radical  differences  on  even  "vital"  subjects.  Let 
toleration  begin  with  the  house  of  God;  for  if  it 
does  not,  be  sure  that  judgment  will. 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  37 

6.  The  adult  class  may  often  profitably  pursue 
independent  subjects  of  study. 

I  have  pleaded  for  freedom  of  discussion;  I 
would  plead  for  equal  freedom  in  the  choice  of 
subjects  of  study.  An  adult  class  cannot  afford 
to  be  bound  to  any  inflexible  procedure,  unless 
for  very  good  reasons.  No  matter  what  course 
it  is  studying,  subjects  will  come  up  which  are 
worth  looking  at  more  closely.  A  class  has  often 
just  got  well  into  the  consideration  of  a  subject 
when  the  time  is  up.  "Let  us  continue  it  next 
Sunday,"  someone  proposes.  The  regular  lesson 
may  be  postponed,  omitted,  or  disposed  of  briefly, 
as  desired.  Short  courses  of  lessons  up  to  a  dozen 
in  number  may  often  be  arranged  with  great 
profit.  Some  special  field  of  Bible  study,  or  the 
study  of  a  social  problem,  or  of  the  forces  of  good 
and  evil  in  the  local  community,  may  often  be 
most  profitably  treated  in  such  courses.  Aside 
from  these,  which  might  be  called  parenthetical 
courses,  every  adult  class  ought  to  consider 
whether  or  not  it  should  pursue  permanent  inde- 
pendent courses.  I  do  not  say  that  all  classes 
ought  to  pursue  such  courses.  There  may  be 
very  good  reasons  against  it.  But  the  sub- 
ject ought  to  be  considered;  and  the  greater 
the  capacity  of  the  class  for  study,  the  more 
the  presumption  in  favor  of  the  independent 
course. 


38  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

7.  The  class  may  exist  without  study. 

Many  classes  exist  for  other  purposes  than 
study.  Many  other  classes  are  made  up  of 
members  who  have  no  taste  or  even  capacity  for 
study.  Others  are  made  up  of  people  who,  in 
our  rushing  modern  life,  are  utterly  exhausted 
with  their  daily  work  and,  with  the  best  will  in 
the  world,  would  find  adequate  study  impossible. 
What  can  such  classes  do  ?  Why,  come  together 
on  Sunday  and  talk  things  over.  Will  it  not  be 
profitless  ?  No,  not  if  their  teacher  is  willing  to 
work  faithfully  in  their  behalf  and  so  arrange  the 
lessons  that  they  will  lead  into  profitable  fields. 
Let  no  teacher  think  that  if  his  class  does  not  study 
he  need  not.  Quite  the  contrary.  In  that  case 
the  teacher  must  be  a  "business  committee"  and 
so  arrange  beforehand  the  treatment  of  the  lesson 
that  it  will  lead  naturally  and  easily  into  subjects 
possible  and  profitable  for  class  discussion. 

8.  Some  members  of  the  class  may  study  and 
others  not. 

Most  classes,  especially  if  large,  are  very  mixed 
bodies.  Some  members  are  able  to  give  time 
to  study  and  delight  to  do  it.  Others  are  not 
able.  And  yet  the  last  usually  need  what  the 
class  can  give  more  than  the  first.  In  such 
a  class  the  natural  tendency  is  often  to  exalt 
study  unduly,  until  those  who  do  not  study  are 
made   to  feel  uncomfortable  and   out  of  place. 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  39 

That  will  never  do.  It  is  neither  kind  nor  wise. 
Often  those  who  do  not  study  cannot  or  ought 
not  to  do  so.  Even  if  that  is  not  the  case,  they 
are  adults  and  have  a  right  to  do  as  they  please. 
The  demand  that  everyone  in  a  class  shall  study 
is  on  a  par  with  the  request  one  sometimes  hears 
in  a  meeting,  "Everybody  sing;  and  if  you  can't 
sing,  read  the  words."  Impertinence!  Suppose 
I  want  to  worship  and  not  to  sing.^^  Not  less  is 
it  impertinence  to  demand  that  no  one  shall  be 
in  your  class  who  does  not  study.  If  you  can 
win  them  to  study,  well ;  but  they  must  be  made 
to  feel  at  home,  even  if  they  do  not  study.  Often 
the  class  is  most  helpful  to  those  whose  lives  are 
so  busy  or  so  limited  that  study  is  impossible. 
The  class  may  be  their  one  window  into  a  brighter 
and  more  intellectual  hfe.  They  have  a  right 
there.  The  teacher  of  children  should  not  be 
satisfied  unless  the  whole  class  studies.  The 
teacher  of  adults  must  welcome  members  who 
never  intend  to  study  a  lesson. 

9.  The  study  must  he  planned  as  a  course,  not 
as  a  series  of  detached  lessons. 

This  involves  looking  ahead.  Mere  "reviews" 
are  not  enough.  "What  was  our  last  lesson 
about.f^"  may  or  may  not  be  a  useful  question, 
but  the  teacher  must  already  have  asked  himself, 
"What  are  the  rest  of  the  lessons  of  this  course 
about?"     Then  he  must  plan  this  day's  teaching 


40  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

with  reference  to  what  he  wants  to  do  the  next 
and  succeeding  weeks.  The  class  must  avoid  the 
fragmentary  study  which  has  done  so  much  to 
degrade  Sunday-school  work  for  the  past  thirty 
years. 

10.  The  course  or  group  of  lessons  should  issue 
in  practical  results. 

This  cannot  always  be  the  case  with  single 
lessons.  Sometimes  a  section  of  a  book  or  the 
whole  book  must  be  studied  before  its  real  relig- 
ious value  can  be  seen.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
"find  the  lesson"  in  every  portion  of  Scripture, 
but  when  the  whole  story  or  book  has  been  care- 
fully studied,  a  great  truth  will  be  revealed.  The 
class  can  then  see  the  purpose  of  the  writer, 
although  no  single  lesson  has  disclosed  it.  That 
is  Bible  study  worthy  the  name,  and  no  adult  class 
ought  to  be  satisfied  with  less.  But  it  can  seldom 
be  well  done  in  the  fragmentary  way  that  the  last 
generation  of  Sunday-school  study  has  inculcated. 

11.  Every  lesson  should  have  its  individual 
purpose. 

A  course  of  lessons  may  be  a  mosaic,  the  plan 
only  evident  when  it  is  completed,  but  the  mosaic 
is  made  of  jewels.  You  are  studying,  for  example, 
the  history  of  Israel  told  in  the  books  of  Samuel 
and  Kings.  As  a  whole,  it  is  a  great  sermon 
on  the  relation  of  religion  to  national  life.  The 
lesson  is,  perhaps,  on  Ahaz  —  a  rather  profitless 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  41 

character,  but  his  reign  is  an  excellent  example  of 
what  happens  when  a  weak  man  is  placed  in 
a  responsible  position.  Find  in  each  lesson  the 
one  thing  of  most  value.  Make  it  as  strong  as 
possible.  Make  every  minute  of  your  time  count. 
Never  putter  over  a  lesson.  It  is  not  seemly  to 
ask  grown  people  to  come  to  a  class  and  waste 
time  over  what  is  not  worth  while. 

12.  A  teacher  must  often  subordinate  subjects  to 
persons. 

The  greatest  educational  temptation  is  to  teach 
subjects  and  neglect  persons.  In  the  adult  class 
it  is  fatal  to  the  class.  One  sometimes  wishes  that 
with  younger  pupils  it  were  fatal  to  the  teacher. 
You  think  you  are  to  teach  the  life  of  Christ. 
No.  You  are  to  teach  Mrs.  A  and  Mr.  B  and 
Miss  C.  The  life  of  Christ  is  only  the  means 
by  which  you  teach  them;  or,  more  properly, 
they  are  teaching  themselves  with  more  or  less 
guidance  and  inspiration  from  their  teacher.  If 
the  members  and  not  the  subjects  are  emphasized, 
the  teacher  becomes  of  less  importance. 

13.  A  teacher  is  not  a  necessity  for  all  adult 
classes. 

A  teacher  has  three  functions:  to  plan  the 
work,  to  present  subjects,  and  to  lead  the  dis- 
cussions. He  is  not  always  needed  for  the  first; 
a  committee  might  often  plan  the  work  with 
profit.     Whether  he  is  needed  to  present  a  subject 


42  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

depends  upon  the  subject.  If  the  class  is  study- 
ing something  with  which  the  members  are  not 
famiHar,  then  someone  is  needed  to  present  it, 
but  in  most  cases  at  least  half  the  class  is  as 
familiar  with  the  subject  as  the  teacher  himself. 
He  is  not  essential  to  guide  the  discussions.  Other 
members  are  usually  competent.  If  a  class  can- 
not find  a  teacher,  it  can  do  very  well  without. 
It  can  call  itself  a  club,  appoint  a  committee  of 
arrangements,  and  elect  a  chairman.  "We  can't 
find  a  teacher  "  is  never  a  valid  excuse  for  a  group  of 
educated  adults  who  really  want  to  study  the  Bible. 

14.  The  adult  class  study  must  he  intellectually 
dignified. 

It  must  be  worthy  of  an  adult  mind.  The 
name  "class"  implies  intellectual  means.  It 
must  have  religious  values,  but  they  are  obtained 
through  intellectual  means.  The  keenest,  sharp- 
est, most  discriminating  intellectual  work  in  the 
whole  church  ought  to  be  done  in  the  adult  class, 
for  it  need  not  be  toned  down  nor  diluted  to  suit 
less  mature  minds,  as  more  public  services  often 
must.  In  this  way  it  can  best  be  made  con- 
tributory to  spiritual  growth.  Remember  that 
the  ideal  relation  between  the  intellectual  and 
the  spiritual  is  never  one  of  contrast,  but  one  of 
means  and  end. 

15.  Individuals  may  often  he  made  responsihle 
for  particular  parts  of  the  lesson.   . 


PRINCIPLES     OF     STUDY  43 

Here  lies  the  use  of  topics  and  papers.  They 
may  be  more  or  less  elaborate,  according  as  those 
who  prepare  them  have  more  or  less  opportu- 
nity for  study.  These  papers  serve  two  purposes: 
they  set  the  members  of  the  class  at  some  definite 
task;  they  contribute  definite  results  to  the  class. 
The  task  need  not  be  very  large  nor  the  result 
very  scholarly  to  make  it  of  great  value.  The 
topic  or  paper  may  often  be  impromptu.  A  class 
is  discussing  some  subject.  A  question  of  fact 
arises  which  the  members  of  the  class  either  do 
not  know  or  about  which  they  disagree.  Let 
some  person  who  is  able  to  get  the  information 
present  it  next  week.  The  topic  may,  on  the 
contrary,  be  planned  far  ahead.  Often  a  subject 
assigned  months  beforehand  is,  especially  to  young 
people,  the  open  door  to  fresh  intellectual  interests 
and  a  new  life.  Persons  are  often  narrow  because 
no  one  ever  suggested  to  them  any  broadening 
influences.  Many  a  Bible  class  has  an  intellectual 
mission  to  fulfil.  But  the  topic  may  also  be  of 
rich  spiritual  value.  How  the  religious  life  could 
be  enriched  by  the  study  and  presentation  of 
such  a  topic  as  the  prayers  of  Jesus,  or  the  temp- 
tations of  the  early  church,  or  the  outline  of  the 
thought  of  Philippians,  or  the  teaching  of  Paul 
about  food  offered  to  idols  as  bearing  on  the 
present  day !  Other  topics  may  come  much  closer 
to  practical  daily  life  than  any  of  these.     Topics 


44  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

must  not  be  made  a  burden.  They  must  be 
helpful,  stimulating,  welcomed  by  those  who  take 
them;  then  the  results  will  be  helpful  and  stimu- 
lating to  the  class. 

The  same  results  may  be  accomplished  by 
simpler  means.  Members  may  be  asked  before- 
hand to  contribute  to  discussions  which  will 
arise;  or  to  prepare  a  question  on  some  portion 
of  the  lesson.  There  are  only  two  limitations: 
the  task  asked  must  be  large  enough  to  be  worth 
while  for  an  adult  mind,  and  it  must  not  be 
beyond  the  capacity  of  the  person  to  do  or  the 
class  to  appreciate. 


IV 

THE  USE  OF  THE  BIBLE  BY  THE 
ADULT  CLASS 

The  ordinary  engine  uses  only  a  small  propor- 
tion of  the  power  produced  by  the  burning  of 
its  coal.  The  ordinary  adult  class  is 
namic  Force  like  the  engine.  Its  use  of  its  source 
of  the  Adult  ()f  power  is  wasteful.  It  does  not  get 
all  the  help  and  inspiration  it  might 
from  the  Bible. 

The  adult  class  may  use  the  Bible  in  two  ways: 
reading  and  study.  Reading  is  like  walking 
Reading  through  a  garden;  one  may  go  leisurely 
and  Study  ^^^  even  stop  to  see  the  flowers  that 
grow,  but  not  bend  his  back  to  labor.  Study  is 
like  cultivating  the  garden;  one  needs  to  toil  in 
some  measure,  to  dig  beneath  the  surface,  perhaps 
to  uproot  some  plants,  and,  if  he  will  work  effect- 
ively, to  use  a  few  simple  tools.  It  is  curious 
that,  while  there  is  much  more  careful  study  of 
the  Bible  done  by  scholars  than  ever  was  done 
before,  there  is  less  reading  of  it  than  there  was  a 
few  generations  ago.     This  neglect  is  not  natural 

45 


46  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

and  will  be  changed  in  time.  The  adult  class 
may  well  perform  a  great  service  in  introducing 
new  and  more  fruitful  habits  of  Bible  reading. 

But  ought  not  the  class  always  to  study  the 
Bible?  By  no  means.  Many  classes  will  find 
Bible  Read-  their  greatest  use  in  only  trying  to  read 
ing  Classes  ^^^  gij^i^^  ^ot  to  study  it.  To  be  sure, 
such  classes  will  not  be  satisfied  with  reading  ten 
or  a  dozen  verses.  If  systems  which  set  only 
such  lessons  are  taken,  the  class  will  enlarge 
the  Bible  sections  used.  A  few  classes  have  done 
what  many  classes  might  do  with  profit  —  they 
have  met  simply  for  Bible  reading.  Why  not.^ 
Clubs  meet  to  read  Milton  and  Browning  and 
Emerson  and  Longfellow;  why  not  meet  to  read 
the  Bible?  It  is  worth  it.  Classes  have  met, 
with  no  limits  of  assignment,  sometimes  with  no 
teacher,  to  read  and  discuss  informally  a  bibli- 
cal book.  The  reading  may  be  much  or  little, 
depending  on  the  amount  of  discussion  to  which 
the  reading  gives  rise.  The  plan  lends  itself  to 
the  most  informal  of  classes.  It  has  been  suc- 
cessful in  literary  clubs  and  in  such  Bible  classes 
as  have  tried  it.  It  can  be  used  without  elabo- 
rate preparation  or  machinery  of  any  kind.  It 
is  specially  adapted  for  classes  with  little  or  no 
time  to  study,  but  with  a  desire  to  know  the 
content  of  the  Bible.  Few  classes  would  not  be 
better  for  such  a  reading  of  some  of  the  more 


USE     OF     THE     BIBLE  47 

important  books.  Will  you  stop  and  think  for 
a  moment:  how  many  of  the  members  of  your 
class  do  you  suppose  have  ever  read  through,  in 
such  a  way  as  to  gain  any  sense  of  their  unity  and 
general  content,  such  important  books  as  Job  or 
Proverbs  or  Romans  or  Hebrews?  Some  of  them 
can  tell  the  story  of  the  last  novel  they  read. 
How  many  of  them  can  tell  the  story  contained 
in  the  books  of  Samuel  or  of  Luke  or  of  Acts? 

The  reading  may  be  not  only  of  single  books, 
but  of  groups  of  smaller  books,  with  some  com- 
Connected  parison  between  them:  Paul's  shorter 
Reading  epistles;  the  Minor  Prophets;  Mark 
and  Matthew  or  Luke.  Short  introductory  talks 
telling  of  the  author,  the  purpose  and  the  occasion 
of  their  writing,  are  helpful,  but  even  without 
these  the  reading  is  valuable.  One  of  the  gravest 
charges  against  the  International  Uniform  Les- 
son system  is  that  its  fragmentary  character  has 
tended  to  destroy  the  habit  and  to  some  extent 
the  desire  for  consecutive  Bible  reading.  The 
Sunday-school  has  done  the  damage;  it  must  lead 
in  providing  the  remedy.  Nowhere  can  this  be 
done  so  well  as  in  the  adult  class. 

One  may  ask.  Why  should  not  the  reading 
be  done  at  home?  Why  take  up  the  time  of 
Reading  in  the  class  with  it?  If  the  purpose  of 
the  Class  ^jj^  ^j^gg  |g  ^^  become  familiar  with  the 
Bible,  reading  is  not  "taking  up  the  time  of  the 


48  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

class."  It  is  using  the  time  properly.  Why  does 
not  a  literary  club  read  Browning  at  home,  and 
only  come  together  to  discuss  it?  Sometimes  it 
does,  but  often  it  wisely  recognizes  that  there  is 
a  stimulation  to  discussion  in  reading  together. 
An  additional  reason  holds  in  a  Sunday-school 
class.  Its  occasional  attendants,  and  even  some 
of  its  regular  members,  may  have  had  no  time 
for  home  reading. 

Occasionally  a  class  may  rely  on  home  reading 
and  keep  the  class  hour  for  discussion.  This  is 
Home  only  in  cases  where  all  the  class  have 

Reading  some  leisure  and  are  thoroughly  united 
in  their  purpose,  and  where  no  obligation  is  felt 
to  the  visitor  or  occasional  attendant.  Usually, 
reading  in  the  class  is  better.  The  discussion 
must  be  free,  spontaneous,  with  interruptions  of 
the  reading  at  any  point,  as  informal  as  among 
a  group  of  neighbors  reading  a  novel  on  a  summer 
veranda. 

One   of   the  advantages   of   the  reading  class 

lies  in  the  possibility  of  the  use  of  various  ver- 

TT  ,,r  .  sions  and  the  discussion  of  important 
Use  of  Van-  x      •  n 

ousVer-      differences   between  them.     It   is   well 

^^°^^  to   have   among   the   members   of    the 

class   the   Authorized   Version  and    the   English 

and  American  revisions.     The  translation  in  the 

Twentieth  Century  New  Testament  is  put  into 

present  day  English,  and  is  often  very  striking. 


USE     OF     THE     BIBLE  49 

The  Douay  version  (Catholic)  is  much  like  the 
Authorized  Version,  and  is  well  worth  compar- 
ison. The  translation  in  scholarly  books  like 
Kent's  "Students'  Old  Testament"  may  be  used 
with  great  profit.  *'The  New  Testament  in  Braid 
Scotts"  is  often  very  attractive  to  a  person 
of  Scottish  antecedents.  The  most  important 
version  is  the  American  Revision.  It  best 
represents  the  agreement  of  modern  scholar- 
ship as  to  the  text  and  interpretation  of  the 
Bible. 

The  ordinary  adult  class  is  in  effect  a  reading 
class.  Its  use  of  the  Bible  can  hardly  be  called 
Points  to  be  study.  How  may  this  reading  be  made 
Considered  ^f  ^^^^  ^^j^^p     gy  attention  to  three 

things:  1.  The  purpose  of  the  book  from  which 
the  lessons  are  taken.  This  purpose  ought  to  be- 
come so  familiar  to  the  class  that  a  mere  allusion 
to  it  will  be  sufficient.  2.  The  context.  No  story, 
and  very  few  sections  in  any  books  from  which 
Sunday-school  lessons  are  usually  taken,  stands 
by  itself.  The  best  commentary  on  a  passage  is 
often  its  surrounding  sections.  3.  The  meaning 
of  the  passage  itself.  Not  "the  teaching  of  a 
lesson,"  nor  "its  spiritual  significance,"  nor  any 
other  inference,  legitimate  or  illegitimate,  but  the 
answer  to  the  simple  question,  "What  point  did 
the  writer  mean  to  make  in  this  section?"  Often 
this,  which  ought  to  be  the  easiest,  is  really  the 


50  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

hardest  thing  for  the  Bible  reader  to  see.  We 
have  been  so  accustomed  to  "draw  lessons"  from 
the  Bible  that  it  has  become  rather  difficult  for  the 
average  Bible  reader  to  hold  himself  down  to 
the  plain  and  simple  meaning  of  the  Bible  writer. 
Often  that  meaning  does  not  contain  *' lessons" 
and  does  not  even  seem  religious.  It  does  not 
require  study  to  see  the  meaning  of  a  passage, 
it  only  requires  a  reasonable  amount  of  attention 
in  reading.  Our  very  familiarity  with  the  Bible 
makes  us  careless  of  its  meaning.  The  Bible  is 
the  most  thoughtlessly  read  book  in  the  world. 
To  acknowledge  that  a  class  does  not  study  the 
Bible,  but  reads  it,  is  no  disgrace.  A  class  which 
reads  carefully  gets  far  more  from  its  work  than 
one  which  studies  carelessly. 

The  ordinary  adult  class  reads  the  Bible.  The 
exceptional  class  studies  it.  The  study  of  a  great 
The  Bible  piece  of  literature  may  take  many 
Study  Class  different  forms,  but  it  always  means 
work.  Theclassmay  study  by  proxy;  the  teacher 
may  do  all  the  studying  and  impart  his  results 
to  the  class.  This  is  not  always  to  be  condemned. 
Where  the  teacher  has  leisure  and  facilities  for 
study  and  the  class  has  not,  it  may  be  a  most 
fruitful  method.  The  members  often  learn,  as 
they  could  not  otherwise  do,  what  biblical  study 
is.  The  teacher  must  know  the  limitations  of 
his  class  and  summarize  where  the  details  would 


USEOFTHEBIBLE  51 

be  barren  and  unprofitable  to  them.  Rightly 
used,  this  method  may  induce  much  personal 
Bible  study  in  a  class. 

Part  of  the  class  may  study  and  part  not,  as 

suggested   on   page  38,  and   yet    the   class   need 

not  lose  its  sense  of  unity.     A  loves  to 

^Uhe  Class  ^^^^y  ^^^  ^^^  some  time  for  it.  B 
of  which  does  not  love  it  and  has  no  time  for  it 
Studies  ^^    if  he  did.     Yet  B  may  comment  most 

shrewdly  and  sensibly  on  the  results  of 
A's  study,  and  both  may  be  equally  valuable 
members  of  the  class.  A  composite  class  must 
not  be  conducted  wholly  for  the  benefit  of  its 
studying  members,  but  a  few  such  may  be  of 
great  assistance.  They  can  look  up  matters 
arising  in  the  course  of  discussion  which  need 
further  study,  can  present  subjects  which  throw 
light  upon  the  lessons,  and  can  bring  to  the 
class  both  results  and  methods  of  genuine  study. 
Happy  is  the  teacher  who  hath  a  few  of  them. 
But  there  is  one  condition.  They  must  remem- 
ber that  they  exist  for  the  class,  not  the  class  for 
them,  else  they  are  intolerable  bores. 

In  a  few  classes  everyone  can  study.  Such 
a  class  has  certain  advantages.  It  can  attack 
The  Class  ^^^  Bible  study  it  chooses;  Greek 
that  or  Hebrew,  if  it  likes.     Some  have.     It 

can  lay  out  work  far  ahead.  It  can 
study  thoroughly.     It  can  work  for  results  which 


52  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

are  intellectually  worthy  of  adult  minds.  It  can 
be  independent  of  the  personal  leadership  of  a 
teacher,  or  it  can  use  the  services  of  a  teacher 
most  profitably.  To  the  lovers  of  study  such  a 
class  is  a  great  delight. 

It  has  its  limitations,  however.  When  there  is 
only  one  adult  class  in  a  school,  it  ought  not  to 
do  such  special  study  that  an  occasional  attend- 
ant would  feel  out  of  place.  It  must  never  over- 
load its  more  busy  members.  It  must  not  pursue 
lines  of  study  of  little  interest  to  some  members. 
It  must  not  fall  into  the  fallacy  of  two  volunteer 
Bible  classes  in  a  certain  college,  one  of  which 
called  itself  "religious"  and  the  other  *' intellec- 
tual." Its  most  intellectual  study  must  always 
have  an  ultimate  religious  purpose.  Under  these 
limitations  a  large  Sunday-school  might  well  form 
a  group  of  congenial  and  studious  people  into  a 
class  that  really  studies.  They  need  not  be  pro- 
fessional students  or  highly  educated  people.  A 
taste  for  study  is  not  limited  to  the  educated. 
The  question  is  not,  how  much  they  already  know, 
but  how  much  they  are  willing  to  learn.  The 
Sunday-schools  need  such  classes  to  provide  for 
the  legitimate  intellectual  tastes  of  some  of  their 
choicest  members.  The  knowledge  that  there  are 
classes  which  study  in  the  Sunday-school  adds 
inspiration  and  dignity  to  the  school  and  tends  to 
take  away  the  stigma  of  superficiality  which  — 


USEOFTHEBIBLE  53 

not  always  justly  —  rests  at  present  on  the  term 
"Sunday-school  study." 

But  this  is  the  very  exceptional  class.  A  class 
which  cannot  command  much  time  from  its 
How  to  In-  members,  nor  aspire  to  courses  which 
spire  Study  demand  close  attention  on  the  part  of 
all  the  members,  may  still  hope  to  do  genuine 
Bible  study.  Many  a  class  at  present  only 
reading  the  Bible  may  well  turn  to  its  study.  It 
requires  no  elaborate  paraphernalia,  no  profound 
intellectuality  to  become  a  class  which  studies. 
The  class  may  begin  very  simply,  with  the  resolve 
to  know  the  things  of  importance  which  lie  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  lessons.  Some  of  these  things 
can  be  briefly  stated.  A  class  that  studies  ought 
to  know  the  characteristics  of  the  kind  of  litera- 
ture in  which  its  lessons  lie:  Gospels,  Prophets, 
Epistles,  wisdom  or  legal  literature;  the  origin, 
purpose,  main  contents  and  literary  peculiarities 
of  the  book  studied;  the  relation  of  the  particular 
lesson  to  the  book  as  a  whole;  the  elements  of 
the  explanation  of  any  special  difficulties  in  the 
lesson.  These  things  are  introductory.  For  the 
rest,  each  course  and  each  lesson  will  present  its 
own  topics  of  study.  The  Bible  bristles  with 
them.  What  does  the  ordinary  class  really  know 
about  such  common  subjects  as  the  Pharisees,  or 
Paul's  expectation  of  the  second  coming,  or  the 
social  teaching  of  the  prophets,  or  Jesus'  teaching 


54  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

about  wealth?  The  fact  is,  exact  knowledge  on 
any  subject  is  rather  rare.  We  do  not  expect 
everybody  to  know  the  details  of  the  tariff  or 
of  irrigation  in  the  West  or  of  the  history  of  the 
Hohenstaufens.  It  is  not  fair  to  expect  even 
adults  in  Sunday-school  to  know  the  details  of 
biblical  subjects.  It  is  no  disgrace  if  they  do  not. 
But  Christian  people  should  aspire  to  exact  knowl- 
edge about  the  Bible.  Every  adult  class  may  well 
be  urged  to  strive  for  it.  The  mere  verbal  knowl- 
edge of  the  Bible  which  reading  gives  is  not 
sufficient. 

Do  not  be  misled  by  any  distinction  between 
studying  about  the  Bible  and  studying  the  Bible. 
The  distinction  has  a  little  truth,  but  is  largely 
fallacious.  Studying  the  Bible  is  such  a  study  of 
the  text  as  will  make  the  Bible  better  understood. 
Studying  about  the  Bible  is  such  a  study  of  facts 
pertaining  to  the  Bible  as  will  make  it  better  under- 
stood. The  two  are  one  in  purpose.  All  study 
which  will  make  the  Bible  better  known  and  better 
appreciated  belongs  of  right  to  the  Bible  class. 

To  the  Bible  class,  too,  belong  the  results  of 
modern  Bible  study.  New  light  has  been  thrown 
upon  a  score  of  biblical  subjects.  We 
Bible  study  know  better  than  did  the  earlier  genera- 
Adult^Class  ^i^^^  ^^"^  *^^  gospels  are  related  to 
each  other,  what  was  the  origin  and 
value  of  the  apocalyptic  literature,  how  the  wis- 


USEOFTHEBIBLE  55 

dom  literature  came  into  being,  how  the  books 
of  history  grew  up,  what  the  time  after  Malachi 
contributed  to  the  New  Testament  period.  The 
adult  class  is  the  most  fitting  place  for  the  church 
to  familiarize  itself  with  all  the  fruits  of  present 
day  biblical  study.  These  fruits  are  the  proper 
heritage  of  all  Bible  students,  and  they  make  the 
Bible  richer  and  more  valuable.  An  adult  class 
which  is  intelligent  cares  about  the  truth.  For- 
tunately for  poor  humanity,  the  truth  is  not  neces- 
sary for  spiritual  values.  The  negro  preacher  who 
took  for  his  text,  "He  maketh  my  feet  like  hens' 
feet"  (Ps.  see  18:33),  and  preached  of  the  faith 
which  clings  to  God  as  the  hen  clings  to  the  roost, 
had  a  great  spiritual  lesson ;  but  a  true  understand- 
ing of  the  Bible  would  have  furnished  him  other 
texts  with  the  same  lesson.  In  the  long  run,  the 
soul  never  loses  by  learning  the  truth.  Our  spirit- 
ual life  will  be  the  richer  for  finding  out  all  we 
can  about  the  Bible. 

We  can  express  the  sum  of  this  chapter  in  one 
statement:    not  all  classes  will  use  the  Bible  in 

the  same  way,  but  all  should  use  it  so 
Resume  .      «  •       i       i  mi 

as  to  gam  irom  it  the  largest  possible 
spiritual  power. 


THE   ADULT    CLASS   AND   EXTRA- 
BIBLICAL  SUBJECTS 

May  the  adult  class  study  extra-biblical  sub- 
jects?    The   answer   to   this   is   involved   in   the 

answer  to  another  question:  What  is 
tion  of  the  object  of  the  class?  The  object  is 
^Ts^l^^^ct"  ^^^  same  as  that  of  the  general  church 

service:  the  advancement  of  Christian 
life  in  intelligence  and  efficiency.  The  Christian 
life  takes  its  start  from  the  principles  of  the  Bible, 
but  it  is  lived  in  the  world  of  today.  To  many 
adult  classes  the  Bible  and  its  principles  are 
fairly  familiar.  Such  classes  might  well  try  to 
apply  the  principles  of  the  Bible  to  the  life  of 
today,  or  to  study  the  working  of  God's  provi- 
dence in  history  outside  the  Bible.  The  limita- 
tion of  extra-biblical  study  is  clear.  It  must  be 
such  study  as  will  advance  the  efficiency  of  the 
Christian  life.  To  study  the  politics  of  the  town 
in  order  to  learn  how  to  win  votes  for  a  favorite 
candidate  is  not  legitimate  Sunday-school  work. 
To  study  the  same  subject  in  order  to  learn  how 

56 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     SUBJECTS         57 

political  corruption  may  be  suppressed  is  often 
very  proper.  Our  study  of  the  Bible  is  too  often 
either  merely  academic,  and  touches  life  at  no 
point,  or  is  only  brought  to  bear  upon  the  per- 
sonal religious  life.  The  social  and  civic  life  has 
as  yet  been  brought  far  too  little  in  touch  with 
biblical  principles.  This  is  one  result  of  the  false 
division  of  life  into  what  is  called  religious  and 
secular. 

Two  extreme  positions  have  sometimes  been 
taken  on  this  subject.  One  is  that  the  Sunday- 
The  Rea-  ^chool  should  study  only  the  Bible, 
sonabie  The  other  is  that  the  Sunday-school 
should  study  religion  and  morals  from 
any  sources,  using  biblical  material  only  when 
it  will  illustrate  the  subject  in  hand  better  than 
will  anything  else.  Both  these  positions  seem 
extreme.  Christian  life  can  find  most  excellent 
lessons  outside  the  Bible,  but  after  all,  the  Bible 
is  the  body  of  literature  upon  which  it  is  built. 
The  Sunday-school  is  the  only  institution  whose 
special  function  it  is  to  teach  the  Bible.  It  should 
not  lightly  reject  this  task.  All  its  pupils  should 
receive  a  broad  and,  so  far  as  it  goes,  a  thorough 
biblical  training.  But  God  has  wrought  elsewhere 
than  in  Palestine  and  among  the  Hebrew  people. 
All  history  is  his,  and  the  study  of  the  lives  of 
many  men  outside  the  Bible  may  lead  to  him. 
Nor  is  it  only  the  past  which  belongs  to  God. 


58  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

The  present  is  his  also.  Christian  Hfe  must  be 
lived  amid  the  complex  problems  of  today.  Social 
and  civic  life  calls  for  the  application  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  prophets  and  of  Jesus.  Where  can 
all  these  things  be  studied  more  profitably  than 
in  the  adult  class,  with  its  freedom  of  discussion 
and  its  religious  atmosphere  .^^  This  class  presents 
a  field  for  such  study  which  as  yet  the  Church 
has  only  begun  to  utilize.  Of  all  the  subjects  of 
moral  and  religious  application,  only  one  has  up 
to  the  present  time  received  any  general  recogni- 
tion, and  that  is  temperance.  Even  this  is  always 
based,  sometimes  with  very  doubtful  exegesis, 
upon  a  biblical  passage.  The  adult  class  at  least 
may  well  make  the  field  of  study  much  wider. 
There  are  many  subjects  of  practical  reform  which 
are  equally  if  not  more  pertinent  to  most  adult 
classes  than  temperance. 

Extra-biblical  subjects  may  often  be  treated 
in  short  courses.  Three  months  on  the  condition 
Short  of  the  city,  sanitary,  moral,  religious; 

Courses  f^^j.  ^eeks  on  the  mission  field  in  which 
the  individual  church  is  interested;  two  months 
on  the  public  schools;  a  month  on  the  history 
of  its  own  denomination  —  such  courses  are  often 
most  useful  to  the  class.  Temporary  classes  for 
those  not  usually  attending  the  Sunday-school 
may  often  be  formed  for  such  study.  Every 
regular  class  may  well  keep  a  short  list  of  such 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     SUBJECTS         59 

topics  which  it  proposes  to  take  up  at  some  con- 
venient time  between  longer  courses,  as  a  man 
often  keeps  a  Kst  of  books  which  he  intends  to 
read  as  he  has  time. 

Sometimes  study  is  based  in  a  merely  formal 

way  upon  the  Bible.     It  is  possible,  for  example, 

to  study  the  social  problems  of  today 

Should  and  to  link  each  subject  with  some 
Such  Study  i  .,  i-      i       , .  o  i  •         i 

always  be     biblical   utterance,     bome where  m  the 

BMiLr  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  th^  principle  of 
Passages?  every  needed  social  reform.  It  is  more 
profitable,  however,  to  assume  our  basis 
in  general  Christian  morals  and  devote  the  atten- 
tion of  the  class  to  the  actual  social  problems. 
The  social  teaching  of  the  Bible  is  a  topic  large 
enough  for  a  course  of  its  own.  Pulpit  traditions 
may  demand  a  biblical  text  of  the  preacher,  but 
nothing  demands  it  of  the  adult  class.  The  class 
should  never  cut  loose  from  the  principles  of  the 
Bible,  but  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  always 
study  its  text.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  well 
to  make  extra-biblical  courses  the  habitual  study 
of  a  class.  There  is  in  these  days  little  danger 
that  our  life  will  be  too  biblical.  Unless  in  excep- 
tional circumstances,  a  class  will  probably  fulfil 
its  mission  best  by  devoting  not  more  than  half 
its  time  in  any  term  of  years  to  extra-biblical 
courses. 

What  subjects  are  appropriate  for  study  .^     One 


60  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

answers  broadly:  No  subject  is  inappropriate 
which  makes  the  Christian  Hfe  better  and  more 
.  ._     efficient.     Certain    groups  of   subjects, 

ate  Sub-  however,  are  specially  fitted  for  adult 
^^^  ^  class  use. 

1.  Church  History.  The  divine  guidance  of 
the  Church  did  not  cease  with  New  Testament 
times.  Martyrs  and  reformers  have  lessons  of 
inspiration  for  today.  It  is  of  great  value  to 
study  how  doctrines  arose,  how  customs  of  worship 
took  shape,  how  movements  rose  and  fell.  A 
certain  pessimism  often  arises  regarding  religion. 
A  study  of  the  past  shows  that  religion  has 
weathered  worse  gales  than  those  of  the  present. 
Good  people  sometimes  become  alarmed  at  the 
changes  in  Christian  thought  and  practise  now 
going  on.  It  is  worth  much  for  them  to  realize 
that  the  Church  has  always  been  changing,  and 
that  the  very  things  for  which  they  fear  are  them- 
selves often  only  the  products  of  past  changes; 
that  religion  itself  is  more  stable  than  its  special 
forms,  and  that  their  fears  are  largely  needless. 
A  class  may  study  the  history  of  its  own  denomina- 
tion, not  that  its  members  may  be  more  rigid 
denominationalists,  but  more  tolerant  Christians. 
The  great  periods  of  church  history  are  always 
fruitful  —  the  early  Church,  the  Reformation,  the 
time  of  the  Puritans.  The  great  characters  of 
the  Church  are  inspiring:  Augustine,  St.  Francis, 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     SUBJECTS         61 

St.  Bernard,  Luther,  Loyola,  George  Fox,  Wesley. 
The  church  to  which  he  belonged  makes  little 
difference;  the  man  is  the  important  thing.  Few- 
studies  are  more  enlightening,  more  inspiring, 
more  calming  to  troubled  fears  for  the  religious 
future  than  the  study  of  the  course  of  religion  in 
the  past. 

2.  The  Church  in  the  Present  Age.  This  is 
really  only  a  form  of  church  history,  for  the  doings 
of  yesterday  have  already  entered  into  the  record 
of  the  past.  No  period  of  the  history  of  the 
Church  is  so  full  of  great  things  as  the  present. 
Do  not  let  the  class  think  that  our  own  age  is 
commonplace.  Far  from  it.  The  Church  in  our 
own  land,  facing  its  problems  in  city  and  country, 
ought  to  be  an  inspiration  to  every  church  member. 
The  whole  subject  of  missions  lies  here.  It  is 
the  most  glorious  work  in  which  any  branch  of 
the  Church  in  any  age  has  ever  engaged.  It 
ought  to  be  a  shame  for  a  Christian  not  to  know 
two  things  about  missions:  the  general  facts  of 
the  history,  and  the  specific  missions  in  which  his 
own  denomination  is  engaged.  There  is  no  need 
to  organize  special  mission  study  classes  for  this 
subject  in  the  church.  The  senior  and  adult 
classes,  if  properly  managed,  should  attend  to  it. 
In  this  busy  day  there  is  danger  of  the  church 
being  fettered  or  becoming  a  nuisance  by  reason 
of  the  multiplication  of  organizations.     Between 


62  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

the  regular  missionary  societies  and  occasional 
courses  in  all  grades  of  the  Sunday-school,  the 
members  of  our  churches  ought  to  be  well  informed 
on  the  subject  of  missions.  The  lives  and  work 
of  men  in  our  own  day,  like  Livingstone,  Moody, 
Paton,  Grenfell,  may  be  as  inspiring  as  the  lives 
of  Luther  and  Wesley.  It  is  a  great  thing  for 
people  to  feel  themselves  part  of  a  mighty  move- 
ment. This  the  humblest  Christian  of  the  present 
day  may  do.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  in  the  Church 
today  as  much  as  in  New  Testament  times. 

3.  Social  and  Civic  Problems.  We  study  these 
problems  in  Israel  whenever  we  study  the  work 
of  prophets  like  Amos  or  Isaiah.  Why  should 
we  not  study  them  in  America  as  well.f^  Before 
these  problems  can  be  settled  rightly,  Christian 
men  and  women  must  know  the  facts  regarding 
them  and  Christian  principles  must  be  applied  to 
them.  Labor  and  capital,  trusts  and  monopolies, 
municipal  politics,  water  and  light  supply  are  all 
capable  of  treatment  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
Christian  principle  of  brotherly  love.  The  Church 
cannot  shift  its  responsibility.  The  welfare  of 
homes,  of  women  and  of  helpless  children,  lies  at 
its  door.  We  must  know  the  facts,  not  as  they 
may  be  luridly  painted  by  unscrupulous  agita- 
tors, but  as  they  may  be  discovered  by  a  group 
of  calm  and  kindly  Christian  men  and  women, 
eager  only  for  truth.     Ten  years  ago  this  could 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     SUBJECTS         63 

not  be  done  so  easily.  Facts  about  many  things 
in  social  life  were  not  available.  Today  they  are. 
Any  class  may,  according  to  its  measure  of  inter- 
est and  ability,  study  social  problems  in  the  light 
of  Christian  principles. 

These  subjects  are  the  most  difficult  of  all  extra- 
biblical  subjects  to  handle,  and  require  most  skill 
in  the  teacher  and  most  good  judgment  in  the 
class.  They  are  so  full  of  explosive  material,  have 
been  made  so  much  the  shuttlecock  of  politics 
and  passion,  that  they  require  for  Christian  treat- 
ment especial  calmness  and  fair-mindedness.  The 
class  must  never  be  made  the  field  of  a  tirade  or 
propaganda.  Perhaps  for  that  very  reason  these 
are  good  subjects  for  an  adult  class  to  consider 
frequently.  Calmness  and  fair-mindedness  are 
excellent  pagan  virtues  for  Christians  to  adopt. 
Here  is,  on  the  whole,  the  best  place  also  to  study 
the  remedies  proposed  for  our  social  ills.  Do 
you  ask.  Shall  we  study  single  tax  and  socialism 
and  labor  unions  and  prohibition  in  the  Sunday- 
school?  Yes,  in  the  adult  class;  provided  always 
that  the  class  can  do  it  with  fairness;  otherwise 
not.  These  things  must  ultimately  be  tested  by 
Christian  principles.  Where  can  it  be  done  better 
than  in  the  adult  class?  The  entire  range  of 
social  and  civic  life  has  large  moral  issues.  It  all 
belongs  to  Christ  our  Master. 

4.   Biography  and  Literature  outside  of  Specific 


64  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

Church  Circles.  This  opens  the  whole  field  of 
history  and  of  books.  Moral  teaching  is  not 
limited  to  the  lives  of  churchmen.  The  life  of 
Lincoln  has  its  lessons  as  well  as  that  of  Luther. 
The  life  and  poetry  of  the  gentle  Whittier  is 
worthy  the  study  of  any  class.  Would  you  turn 
the  class  into  Shakespeare  and  Browning  and 
Tennyson?  There  are  classes  which  have  profited 
by  occasional  courses  in  such  studies.  God  speaks 
through  men  outside  the  Bible,  and  we  may  listen 
and  hear  his  voice  amid  much  that  is  often  called 
secular.  A  class  may  properly  even  take  advan- 
tage of  passing  popular  interest  in  a  subject.  Put 
together  "The  Servant  in  the  House"  and  Ibsen's 
"Pillars  of  Society"  and  see  what  a  tremendous 
sermon  they  make  on  Christian  sincerity,  how  they 
cut  under  all  the  smug  hypocrisy  and  half -uncon- 
scious Phariseeism  of  our  common  Christian  life. 
Given  a  class  with  the  education  and  literary 
tastes  which  make  it  appropriate,  so  that  the  work 
is  a  pleasure  and  not  a  bore,  and  such  subjects 
will  occasionally  be  most  fruitful.  They  should 
be  studied,  however,  only  after  insuring  the  in- 
terest of  the  class.  Some  subjects  are  adapted 
to  certain  people  and  not  to  others.  A  popular 
pastor,  in  his  early  ministry  among  working  peo- 
ple, took  Omar  Khayyam  into  a  week-night  meet- 
ing and  read  the  little  audience  all  to  sleep.  The 
adult  class  must  not  parallel  this  ineptness. 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     SUBJECTS         65 

One  limitation  must  always  be  kept  in  mind. 
It  is  this:  these  subjects  are  to  be  studied  with 
relation  to  their  moral  and  religious  bearing. 
They  are  to  be  held  up  to  the  light  of  religious 
life,  to  be  put  to  the  test  of  Jesus'  teaching  of 
love.  A  class  is  out  of  its  realm  if  it  studies 
Browning  as  a  type  of  English  style.  Browning 
as  a  religious  teacher  is  a  fitting  subject.  This 
applies  with  special  force  to  social  subjects. 
Socialism  as  a  purely  social  theory  is  not  the  con- 
cern of  the  class;  as  bearing  on  the  moral  prob- 
lems of  life  it  is.  What  fulfils  the  law  of  love  and 
makes  for  righteousness  is  a  question  the  Sunday- 
school  class  may  always  ask.  The  class  should 
always  listen  for  two  things:  the  voice  of  God 
out  of  the  past;  the  call  of  God  to  present  duty. 


VI 

THE  RELIGIOUS  VALUE  OF  THE 
STUDY 

The  Sunday-school  is  a  religious  institution. 
It  is  also  an  educational  agency.  The  primary 
rru   n^         mission  of  the  Sunday-school  is  so  to 

1116  v^ld.SS  3.  IIP!  -i-»«i  1 

Religious  impart  knowledge  of  the  Bible  as  to 
Institution  -^gp-j^g  i^g  pupils  to  live  a  truly  religious 
life.  The  adult  class  also  is  a  religious  institution. 
It  differs  from  the  rest  of  the  Sunday-school  in 
that  it  need  not  always  be  educational,  in  the 
sense  of  imparting  information;  but  it  ought  to 
be  as  much  a  religious  force  as  the  preaching  ser- 
vice of  the  church.  Nothing  should  be  used  in 
the  class  which  does  not  have  a  definite  religious 
value. 

What  is  religious  value?  There  is  a  narrow 
way  of  answering  this  question  which  would  limit 
Religious  it  to  what  we  sometimes  call  the  devo- 
Value  tional.    It  would  only  regard  as  of  relig- 

ious value  that  which  rouses  the  emotions,  makes 
one  feel  the  presence  of  God.  This  is  only  a  small 
part  of  religion.    The  ethical  sense  is  also  religious. 

66 


VALUE     OF     STUDY  67 

This  is  emphasized  strongly  in  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  Rehgion  is  concerned  with  produ- 
cing sincere  righteousness  in  life.  If  the  adult 
class  can  promote  this  righteousness,  it  is  fulfilling 
its  religious  mission.  This  definition  of  religious 
value  passes,  too,  beyond  the  range  of  personal 
life  and  has  a  large  social  significance.  Anything 
which  tends  to  advance  social  righteousness  has 
religious  value.  The  religious  value  of  the  adult 
class,  then,  lies  in  aiding  its  members  better  to 
serve  God,  and  better  to  serve  their  fellowmen 
for  Christ's  sake. 

It  is  well  for  a  class  to  keep  Bible  study  upper- 
most, else  the  temptation  will  be  great  to  become 

a  picker-up  of  scraps.  The  predomi- 
of  making  nance  of  the  Bible  will  hold  the  class 
Centeal^^      to    the   religious   point   of    view;  then 

it  may  profitably  look  at  a  wide  range 
of  subjects  of  vital  significance  in  modern  life. 
The  class  may  consider  any  subject  with  which 
the  Christian  duty  of  its  members,  as  parts  of 
modern  society,  is  concerned.  Often  the  Bible 
study  itself  leads  into  such  subjects.  If  not,  the 
class  may  always  properly  consider  them  apart 
from  any  Bible  lesson,  but  in  the  light  of  biblical 
principles.  We  are  not  yet  using  the  adult 
classes  as  we  should  to  answer  the  question, 
What  does  God  say  about  the  problems  of  our 
modern  life.f^     The  discussion  of  such  problems 


68  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

does  not  lead  to  *' waves  of  heavenly  bliss."  If 
it  raises  emotions,  they  are  not  usually  of  the 
kind  we  call  religious;  but  the  success  or  failure 
of  Christianity  in  the  world  depends  primarily 
upon  whether  Christian  people  can  deal  with 
these  problems.  Then  there  are  the  homely 
problems  of  practical  life:  what  attitude  men  and 
women  shall  take  to  their  daily  work,  to  their 
recreation  and  their  reading;  how  their  children 
can  best  be  trained;  how  common  honesty  and 
the  love  of  God  and  man  can  be  kept  in  the  midst 
of  the  heavy  pressure  of  daily  life.  If  the  adult 
class  does  not  help  solve  these  questions  it  is  not 
fulfilling  its  religious  duty.  As  a  religious  agency 
it  must  discuss  many  things  besides  prayer  and 
faith  and  the  four  gospels.  Its  field  is  as  wide  as 
the  life  of  its  members.  Many  things  which  may 
not  be  wise  subjects  for  the  Christian  pulpit  can 
and  should  be  discussed  in  the  free  semi-privacy 
of  the  class.  The  class,  above  all  other  agencies 
of  the  church,  furnishes  the  modern  equivalent  of 
the  Old  Testament  wisdom  literature,  the  appli- 
cation of  religious  principles  to  all  departments 
of  life. 

One  sees  now  that  both  information  and  inspi- 
ration play  a  part  in  religious  value.  Each  fur- 
Informa-  nishes  what  is  essential  to  religious  life, 
tion  j£   yQ^   would   correctly   interpret    the 

Bible  you  must  know  it  correctly.     It  is  proper 


VALUEOFSTUDY  69 

for  the  class  to  study  what  the  best  scholarship 
of  the  day  has  to  say  about  the  origin  and  mean- 
ing of  the  Bible.  If  you  would  judge  rightly  of 
churches  and  missions,  you  must  know  something 
of  their  history  and  present  status.  If  you  would 
apply  Christian  principles  to  the  solution  of  social 
or  industrial  problems,  you  must  know  the  facts 
which  underlie  those  problems.  The  adult  class 
ought  to  emphasize  the  Christian  duty  of  know- 
ing the  real  facts  about  the  important  problems 
of  life. 

But  religion  needs  inspiration  as  well  as  knowl- 
edge.    Inspiration  touches  the  will  and  spurs  it 

.    ^,       on   to   action.     Some   classes,    as    suff- 
Inspiration  ,  ° 

gested  in  Chapter  II,  may  make  their 

chief  aim  inspiration  rather  than  information. 
Neither  group  of  classes  is  more  religious  or 
less  religious  than  the  other.  Nor  can  either 
meet  the  religious  needs  of  their  members  by 
being  only  informational  or  only  inspirational. 
The  two  factors  are  always  mingled  in  life.  No 
teacher  should  be  satisfied  to  deal  with  either 
alone. 

How  can  an  informational  class  find  inspira- 
tion.? The  study  of  any  proper  subject  will 
To  Find  yield  it.  The  class  may  for  weeks  study 
Inspiration  hard,  dry  facts,  as  cold  and  clear  as 
mathematics.  Then  at  last,  when  the  bearing 
of  them  on  life  is  seen,  the  class  stands  in  the 


70  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

presence  of  God  and  the  facts  become  truths, 
pulsing  and  throbbing  with  Hfe.  Let  the  class 
wait  patiently.  Do  not  try  to  force  a  "lesson" 
in  every  day's  study.  If  you  really  have  a  truth 
that  is  related  to  life,  the  "lesson"  will  come  in 
good  time,  and  come  with  all  the  more  inspira- 
tion because  it  has  a  rich  store  of  information 
behind  it. 

How  can  an  inspirational  class  gain  information? 
By  making  sure  that  its  premises  and  statements. 
To  Gain  however  superficial  they  may  be,  are 
Information  correct  so  far  as  they  go.  If  the  class 
discusses  prayer  in  the  light  of  Jesus'  example, 
it  will  take  pains  first  to  find  what  Jesus'  example 
is.  Facts  may  be  correct,  even  if  the  study  is  not 
very  profound.  It  is  much  too  easy  to  make  a 
general  statement,  without  regard  to  its  correct- 
ness, if  it  is  only  thought  to  be  edifying.  An 
adult  class  should  stand  like  a  rock  against  this 
practise.  The  habit  of  correctness  is  essentially 
connected  with  the  virtue  of  truth-telling  and  is 
itself  a  religious  element.  First  true,  then  in- 
spiring, should  be  the  order  for  an  adult  class. 
As  to  the  rest,  the  subject  matter  with  which 
the  class  is  dealing  always  presents  something 
new  and  inspiring.  Information,  like  heaven,  lies 
about  us  in  our  infancy,  but  it  also  continues  to 
our  old  age. 

May  a  class  profitably  use  devotional  forms? 


VALUEOFSTUDY  71 

If  the  class  is  meeting  in  a  separate  room  a  brief 
Use  of         prayer    said    or    sung   is    most    fitting. 
Devotional    It    strikes   the  rehgious   key  to  which 
°^°^^  the  class  should  always  keep.     If  meet- 

ing in  a  room  with  other  classes,   the  common 
devotional  exercises  of  the  school  —  usually  too 
long  and    elaborate  —  ought  to  do   this.     Some- 
times when  the  class  has  been  brought  face  to 
face  with   some  great  truth   or   duty  which   has 
clearly   struck  home,   the   common    feeling  may 
fittingly  voice  itself  in  a  closing  prayer.    There  is, 
however,  one  use  of  devotional   forms  which  is 
unfitted  for  the  class:   that  is  their  use  to  arouse, 
rather   than   to   express,    religious   feeling.     The 
proper  function   of  music  at  the  opening  of  a 
church  service,  for  example,  is  to  arouse  a  religious 
feeling,  and  so  place  the  worshiper  in  a  receptive 
mood  for  the  worship  which  is  to  follow.     In  the 
class   this   should   be   done   by   the   class   study 
itself.     The  primary  object  of  the  class  is  not  to 
induce  a  devotional  mood,  but  to  think  clearly 
upon   certain   subjects.     This   may   or  may  not 
produce  devotional  feeling.     The  religious  value 
of  the  class  is  to  be  measured,  not  in  terms  of 
feeling,  but  of  eiSficiency.     The   Church  has  no 
other  agency  so  well  fitted  to  produce  this  effi- 
ciency in  religion.     The  real  test  of  religious  value 
is  this:    Does  the  class  make  its  members  more 
efficient  Christians? 


PART  TWO 
COURSES   FOR   ADULT    CLASS   STUDY 


VII 

THE  INTERNATIONAL  SYSTEM* 

The  International  Uniform  Lesson  System 
originated  in  1872.  It  followed  a  period  of 
"Question  Books"  and  various  plans 
of  lesson  study.  It  expressed  the  sense 
of  Sunday-school  unity  and  of  growing  need  for 
better  lessons  than  had  yet  been  offered.  Its 
rapid  adoption  shows  that  it  met  that  need. 
Its  use  by  a  multitude  of  schools  made  possible 
the  very  cheap  publication  of  efficient  helps,  and 
also  tempted  the  publishers  to  issue  helps  which 
were  popular  but  not  efficient.  For  twenty 
years,  in  most  of  the  denominations,  the  Inter- 
national Uniform  System  completely  held  the 
field,  following  always  the  same  plan.  Mean- 
time the  sciences  of  pedagogy  and  biblical  study 
had  advanced.  Criticism  of  the  International 
System  arose.  It  was  said  to  be  unpedagogical 
in  its  principles.  Its  uniformity  and  its  frag- 
mentary character  were  attacked.  New  systems 
of  study  were  produced,  and  occupied  its  field  to 

^  On  this  subject  see  also  another  book  in  this  series,  Meyer,  The 
Graded  Sunday  School  in  Principle  and  Practice,  Chap.  X. 

75 


76  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

some  extent.  The  criticism  of  it  became  sharp, 
especially  among  educators.  Finally  a  separate 
primary  course  was  put  forward,  and  still  later  an 
adult  course,  with  a  recognition  of  the  principle 
of  Sunday-school  grading,  is  to  be  placed  by  the 
side  of  the  uniform  course.  As  yet,  however,  the 
great  majority  of  schools  hold  to  the  uniform 
course.  This  does  not  signify  so  much  as  it 
would  if  the  great  majority  of  schools  were  not 
small  or  unprogressive,  or  both.  It  does,  how- 
ever, indicate  that  the  days  of  the  usefulness  of 
the  uniform  system  are  not  yet  wholly  past. 

The  principles  of  the  International  Uniform 
System  are  (l)  uniformity;  (2)  the  covering  of 
the  Bible  in  a  six  years'  course;  (3) 
the  selection  of  a  small  but  significant 
portion  of  Scripture  for  the  lesson.  Uniformity 
undoubtedly  has  great  advantages.  It  makes 
possible  the  study  of  the  lesson  together  by  the 
family.  It  unites  the  adult  class  with  the  school 
in  a  greater  sense  of  unity.  It  makes  the  adult 
class  more  useful  as  the  source  of  supply  for 
substitute  teachers.  An  adult  class  in  a  Sun- 
day-school which  uses  the  International  Uniform 
Lessons  should  take  these  advantages  into  con- 
sideration before  adopting  another  system.  It 
may  be  a  part  of  Christian  duty  to  use  a  system 
not  in  itself  ideal  for  the  sake  of  the  school  as 
a  whole.     For   certain  classes,   too,   the   system 


INTERNATIONAL     SYSTEM  77 

itself  has  advantages.  Abundant  and  very  cheap 
helps  are  available.  On  the  whole,  the  helps  are 
good.  Publishers  have  sometimes  toned  down 
their  work  to  the  lower  half  of  their  constituency, 
rather  than  tried  to  lift  that  lower  half  up  a  little 
higher,  as  newspapers  have  sometimes  catered  to 
the  populace  and  actors  played  to  the  galleries, 
but  even  this  indicates  skill  in  supplying  what 
people  want.  Sometimes  the  lesson  helps  are 
most  excellent  from  every  point  of  view.  The 
system  has  been  in  operation  so  long  and  is  so 
familiar  that  it  may  be  used  without  much  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  Most  other  systems 
require  work  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  It  is 
well  adapted  to  classes  without  much  time  or 
ability  for  study,  or  without  ambition  and  pro- 
gressiveness.  Shall  we  deliberately  plan  to  make 
room  for  such  classes  .f^  Yes.  We  must  meet 
facts  as  they  are,  and  many  adult  classes  are 
of  this  kind.  Change  the  kind  by  all  means,  if 
that  is  possible,  but  it  is  not  always  possible. 
Many  such  classes  must  go  on  indefinitely  under 
these  conditions.  But  do  not  despise  them. 
They  may  be  accomplishing  about  the  only  work 
which  can  be  done  for  their  members.  Adults 
are  not  children.  Their  days  of  training  are 
often  over,  they  cannot  always  be  lifted  to  new 
methods,  and  they  must  have  what  they  want. 
So  it  happens  that  the  old  International  System 


78  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

really  meets  the  needs  of  a  large  number  of 
classes  which  are  doing  a  work  not  to  be  despised. 
Classes  with  time  and  ability  for  study,  or  even 
with  little  time  and  much  intellectual  acuteness. 
Its  Limi-  ought  not  to  rest  permanently  con- 
tations  ^gj^j.  ^ith  the  old  International  System. 

Most  of  its  courses  of  lessons  are  too  frag- 
mentary. It  does  not  in  itself  suggest  considera- 
tion of  books  and  sections  of  the  Bible  as  literary 
units,  and  so  it  tends  to  lose  sight  of  both  the 
literary  qualities  and  the  religious  purposes  of 
the  biblical  writers.  Narrow  views  and  even 
misinterpretations  are  made  easy  by  its  frag- 
mentariness.  It  is  a  great  tribute  to  the  Bible 
that  interest  in  it  has  survived  this  kind  of  study. 
No  system  of  teaching  ever  dared  to  subject  any 
other  literature  to  this  test.  Fancy  studying 
Shakespeare  by  half -page  extracts,  with  no  lessons 
on  any  one  play  as  a  whole !  No  teacher  of  litera- 
ture would  subject  himself  for  a  day  to  such 
limitations.  The  Bible  is  the  worst  printed,  the 
worst  read,  and  the  worst  taught  literature  in  the 
world,  and  yet  how  it  lives!  The  uniformity  of 
the  International  System  makes  impossible  any 
close  adjustment  of  the  lessons  to  the  specific 
needs  of  adult  classes,  or  to  the  local  conditions 
of  a  particular  class;  and  yet  of  all  parts  of  the 
Sunday-school  the  adult  class  ought  to  be  most 
closely  adjusted  to  special  needs.     It  varies  most 


INTERNATIONAL     SYSTEM  79 

widely  in  intelligence,  in  taste,  in  needs  of  personal 
religious  life,  and  in  the  problems  which  present 
themselves  to  the  members.  Adopting  a  uniform 
lesson  system  is  like  cutting  all  coats  from  the 
same  pattern;  the  coats  can  be  worn,  but  they  do 
not  fit.  No  one  need  hesitate  to  arouse  in  an 
adult  class  a  spirit  of  discontent  with  the  Inter- 
national Uniform  Lessons.  At  the  same  time, 
there  may  be  abundant  reasons  why  it  is  best  to 
use  them.  In  such  cases  discontented  grumbling 
is  out  of  place.  The  class  must  give  itself  to  the 
task  of  finding  out  how  to  use  the  lessons  to  the 
best  advantage. 

It  is,  the  advocates  of  the  system  often  say, 
possible  to  use  the  lessons  as  the  basis  for  any  kind 

of  study  a  class  may  wish.  In  a  measure 
System  this  is  true.  A  teacher  and  a  class  may 
Sensed*      ^^  adapt  the  lessons  as  to  fit  them  to 

a  fairly  wide  range  of  class  conditions. 
Very  good  soup  can  be  made  out  of  pebbles,  if 
you  put  in  enough  else  besides  —  a  comparison 
unfair  to  the  lessons,  because  the  Scripture  por- 
tions are  by  no  means  pebbles.  The  following 
suggestions  may  be  helpful: 

1.  A  class  with  the  International  Lessons  should 
have  definitely  determined  its  purpose.  This  pre- 
p  liminary  step,  always  necessary,  is  here 

doubly  urgent.  Some  other  systems 
provide  a  purpose  with  each  course  of  lessons. 


80  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

This  system  only  provides  that  the  course  of  les- 
sons shall  be  taken  from  some  section  of  Scrip- 
ture. Two  elements  will  enter  into  the  choice  of 
purpose.  One  is  the  needs  of  the  class;  and  no 
portion  of  the  Sunday-school  presents  so  various 
needs  as  the  adult  class.  The  other  is  the  course 
of  lessons.  This  leads  to  the  second  suggestion. 
2.  A  course  should  be  examined  before  study 
with  reference  to  what  particular  subjects  it  will 
^  ^.  ^  best  furnish.  A  six  months'  course 
from  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  will  furnish 
study  centering  about  the  character  of  Jesus,  or 
the  teaching  of  Jesus  about  duties  to  God  and 
man,  or  the  order  of  events  in  Jesus'  life,  or  the 
attitude  of  other  men  to  Jesus,  or  a  comparison 
of  the  Gospel  records,  or  Christian  life  today  in 
the  light  of  Jesus'  teaching.  A  course  in  the 
Hebrew  historical  books  may  become  a  study  of 
historical  events,  or  of  the  characters  of  Old 
Testament  men,  or  of  the  ways  in  which  God  led 
Israel,  or  of  the  religion  in  the  books,  or  of  Hebrew 
history  as  literature,  or  of  present  life  in  the  light 
of  Old  Testament  teaching.  A  course  ought  to 
circle  about  one  set  of  ideas,  so  that  directly  or 
indirectly  a  class  will  have  some  definite  result 
or  some  deep  impression  as  the  fruit  of  its  study. 
It  is  not  wholly  a  disadvantage  that  the  lessons 
leave  the  choice  of  that  to  the  class.  Most 
courses  will  supply  some  subject  which  fits  the 


INTERNATIONAL     SYSTEM  81 

needs  of  the  class;  only  the  teacher,  and  usually 
the  class,  should  know  definitely  what  that  subject 
is.  That  this  is  true  for  the  classes  which  study, 
all  will  admit.  Some  may  question  whether  a 
purpose  is  so  much  needed  for  the  classes  called 
in  a  previous  chapter  reading  classes,  where  the 
aim  is  more  indefinite  and  the  work  less  thorough. 
On  the  contrary,  they  need  a  purpose  more  than 
the  others,  and  a  purpose  which  is  more  carefully 
related  to  the  course  of  lessons.  The  greatest 
temptation  of  such  a  class  is  to  ramble,  waste 
time,  and  get  nothing  out  of  the  class  which  is 
worth  carrying  away.  Having  some  purpose  def- 
initely in  mind  removes  this  danger.  If  the  class 
is  not  to  study,  this  purpose  must  lie  very  obvi- 
ously on  the  surface.  With  a  purpose  adapted 
to  the  class  and  the  lesson  course,  a  superficial 
class  can  get  much  profit. 

3.  Some  book  study  should  always  accompany 
a  series  of  lessons.  It  may  come  at  the  beginning. 
Stud  ^^^  middle,  or  the  end  of  the  course, 
but  the  facts  known  about  the  author, 
origin,  divisions,  and  main  purpose  of  the  book, 
if  not  already  familiar  to  them,  should  be  put 
before  the  class.  The  review,  often  tedious  to 
an  adult  class,  may  be  so  used.  The  class  may 
look  ahead  and  decide  to  drop  the  lesson  which 
seems  least  valuable  and  substitute  the  study  of 
the  book  from  which  the  lessons  are  taken.     It 


82  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

may  be  done  incidentally,  as  the  lessons  proceed. 
Merely  to  understand  the  purpose  of  a  book 
often  throws  the  lessons  taken  from  it  into  an 
entirely  new  relief.  On  no  account  should  book 
study  in  some  form  be  omitted. 

4.  If  the  lesson  sections  are  not  continuous, 
the  connecting  matter  should  be  familiar  to  the 

class.  In  all  cases  the  surrounding  con- 
tents should  be  a  part  of  the  lesson. 
This  is  not  always  necessary  for  younger  classes, 
but  the  adult  class  should,  and  usually  will,  deal 
with  the  larger  relations  of  the  lesson.  It  ought 
to  consider  as  its  lesson  the  entire  section  to  which 
the  prescribed  lesson  belongs.  The  short  lesson 
portions  were  never  chosen  with  adult  study  in 
view,  but  to  fit  the  needs  of  younger  pupils. 
Adult  classes  ought  to  modify  them.  It  is  often 
profitable  to  prepare  a  sheet  for  each  member  of 
the  class  as  follows: 

The  Wider  Lesson 

In  our  class  we  will  study  the  'prescribed  lesson  in  the 
light  of  the  section  in  which  it  stands. 

Date  Lesson  Section 

5.  Methods  adapted  to  younger  classes  should 
be  avoided.  This  system  has  been  used  so  long 
Adult  and  lesson  papers,  questions,  and  other 
Methods  helps  have  been  so  generally  prepared 
with  children  in  mind  that  the  special  temptation 


INTERNATIONAL     SYSTEM  83 

of  the  system  for  adult  classes  is  to  slip  back  into 
childish  things.  Recent  years  have  seen  a  great 
increase  of  helps  adapted  to  adult  classes.  The 
class,  and  especially  the  teacher,  should  study 
these  helps,  the  methods  suggested,  the  kind  of 
points  made,  and  the  subjects  emphasized.  It 
will  pay  the  teacher  to  make  a  study  of  adult 
helps  published  by  various  houses,  for  suggestions 
as  to  his  own  methods  of  teaching.  On  the  whole, 
the  methods  of  adult  class  teaching  in  schools 
using  the  International  Uniform  Lessons  have  been 
poorer  than  those  of  any  other  department  in  the 
Sunday-school.  Both  teachers  and  publishers  of 
lesson  helps  are  beginning  to  see  this,  and  a 
needed  reform  is  already  well  on  the  way. 

6.   The  system  should  be  unhesitatingly  bent, 

and  if  necessary,  broken,  to  meet  the  needs  of 

the  class.    Systems  were  made  for  men. 

Adjustment  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^  systems.    If  a  class  becomes 

interested  in  the  discussion  of  a  subject  and  wants 
to  continue  it  next  week,  why  not  do  so,  and  let 
next  week's  lesson  come  in  as  it  can?  If  one 
or  more  lessons  ahead  are  relatively  unprofitable, 
why  not  drop  them  and  put  something  else  in 
their  place?  A  brief  course  on  some  related 
subject  will  often  send  a  class  back  to  the  les- 
sons with  renewed  vigor  and  better  appreciation 
of  the  general  course.  Most  adult  classes,  after 
studying  the  International  Uniform  Lessons  all 


84  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

their  lives,  are  very  ignorant  of  general  bibli- 
cal subjects.  Short  courses  on  such  subjects  as 
the  formation  of  the  canon,  the  history  of  the 
English  Bible,  the  Apocrypha,  the  development 
of  prophecy,  the  relation  of  the  synoptic  gospels 
to  each  other,  prophetic,  wisdom,  or  apocalyptic 
writing,  will  often  be  as  fresh  as  though  the  class 
were  newly  converted  pagans.  There  is  an 
amazing  amount  of  ignorance  about  the  Bible 
among  excellent  Bible  students.  Short  courses 
on  private,  civic,  and  social  Christian  duties  are 
specially  fruitful  for  adult  life.  The  International 
System  provides  lessons  on  temperance.  Why  not 
occasionally  put  in  their  place  or  by  the  side  of 
them  a  lesson  on  political  or  business  honesty, 
trying  to  find  what  it  demands  and  what  it  forbids 
in  modern  life?  In  many  ways  the  system  may 
well  be  bent  to  class  needs,  provided  always 
arrangements  are  so  made  beforehand  that  all 
the  members  know  what  to  expect. 

No  Sunday-school  worker  wishes  to  abolish 
the  International  Uniform  System,  though  many 
think  that  recent  improvements  might  be  carried 
still  further,  as  they  doubtless  will  be.  For  many 
classes  it  is,  and  perhaps  long  will  be,  the  best 
system  available.  Excellent  work  is  sometimes 
done  under  its  guidance.  Any  class  using  it  may 
find  it  profitable  if  thought  and  care  are  freely 
given  to  the  task  of  getting  the  most  possible 


INTERNATIONAL     SYSTEM  85 

out  of  it.  All  progressive  classes  will  welcome, 
however,  the  new  graded  International  courses 
as  a  great  forward  step  in  the  development  of 
the  Sunday-school  curriculum. 


VIII 

THE  BIBLE  STUDY  UNION  LESSONS 

The  "Blakeslee"  system  of  lessons  originated 
in  the  attempt  of  a  pastor  in  Spencer,  Massachu- 
Their  setts,  to  provide  his  Sunday-school  with 

Origin  improved  lessons.     Pupils  had  come  to 

rely  upon  quarterlies.  He  wished  to  promote  a 
use  of  the  Bible  itself.  He  felt  the  need  of  larger 
portions  of  Scripture  than  the  fragmentary  Inter- 
national Lessons,  of  a  more  definite  connection 
between  lessons,  and  of  a  certain  amount  of 
grading.  The  courses  he  prepared  were  desired 
by  other  schools.  The  demand  was  so  great  that 
Mr.  Blakeslee  in  time  gave  himself  entirely  to 
the  work  of  preparing  and  publishing  lessons. 
The  courses  were  continually  improved.  In 
1908  Mr.  Blakeslee  died,  but  the  work  has  con- 
tinued under  the  guidance  of  men  who  had  been 
associated  with  him,  and  who  have  enlisted  others 
to  cooperate  with  them  in  realizing  their  aims. 
The  courses  long  ago  outgrew  their  personal 
origin,  and  now  stand  for  an  attempt  to  offer 

86 


BIBLE     STUDY     LESSONS  87 

the  best  and  most  practical  courses  which  scholar- 
ship and  an  intimate  knowledge  of  Sunday-school 
needs  and  conditions  can  devise. 

The  system  offers  to  the  adult  classes,  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  school,  two  distinct  types  of 
Types  of  courses.  One  type  of  courses  was  the 
Courses  product  of  the  first  period  of  develop- 
ment. These  courses  deal  with  approximately  the 
same  biblical  matter  as  the  corresponding  courses 
for  the  younger  grades,  but  from  a  different  point 
of  view.  The  younger  pupils  are  directed  to  the 
biography  and  history,  the  stories  and  the  ele- 
mental religious  truths  of  the  Bible.  The  Senior 
and  Adult  grades  "presuppose  a  good  knowledge 
of  the  content  of  the  Scripture  narrative,  and 
are  devoted  exclusively  to  a  consideration  of  the 
doctrinal  and  practical  truths  suggested  by  it." 
Adults  ought  not  to  be  called  on  to  go  continu- 
ally over  things  already  familiar  to  them.  **  Bibli- 
cal truth  is  exhaustless,  and  a  way  should  be 
provided  by  which  classes  of  every  grade  can  go 
steadily  forward  to  an  ever-widening  acquaint- 
ance with  it." 

The  method  of  all  these  courses  is  much  the 
same.  They  are  based  on  portions  of  the  Scrip- 
The  Older  ture,  usually  more  extended  than  the 
Courses  lessons  of  the  International  System. 
From  the  Scripture  are  drawn  topics  for  discus- 
sion, with  explanatory  and  suggestive  notes,  and 


98  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

questions  for  class  discussion.  In  many  of  the 
courses  each  lesson  opens  with  a  note,  "The  Ob- 
ject of  this  Lesson."  A  Manual  for  the  use  of 
teachers,  and,  if  they  choose,  of  the  class,  is  fur- 
nished with  further  explanatory  and  illustrative 
material,  including  copious  "literary  extracts." 
These  courses  are  excellent  for  classes  under 
ordinary  conditions  of  adult  study.  They  are  not 
reading  courses.  They  demand  some  study,  but 
not  so  great  an  amount  as  some  other  courses. 
Few  classes  are  so  situated  that  they  could  not, 
if  they  wish,  give  the  time  necessary  for  it.  The 
courses  have  been  prepared  by  practical  Sunday- 
school  men,  with  the  limitations  of  the  average 
class  in  mind.  For  classes  desirous  of  doing 
more  thorough  work  the  other  type  of  courses 
is  better,  but  for  many  classes  this  type  meets 
present  needs  most  admirably.  Some  schools 
find  an  advantage  in  their  use  in  the  fact  that  the 
entire  school  may  study  the  same  general  subject 
in  four  grades,  thus  keeping,  what  some  think 
is  a  desirable  element,  essentially  uniform  lessons 
for  the  whole  school.  The  courses  include  the 
following  subjects: 

Old  Testament  Teachings  (Patriarchs,  Kings,  and 

Prophets  Series). 
Foundation  Truths  (Gospel  Series). 
The  Teachings  of  Christ  (Gospel  Series). 


BIBLE     STUDY     LESSONS  89 

Gospel  Teachings  {Life  of  Christ  Series). 
Christian  Doctrine  and  Duties  {Apostolic  Church 
History  Series). 

The  second  type  of  courses  is  "The  Completely 
Graded  Series."  It  is  specially  designed  for 
schools  which  are  fully  graded.  It  com- 
Completely  prises  six  grades,  of  which  the  Senior 
Courses  ^^^  Adult  grades  present  work  appro- 
priate for  adult  classes.  The  Senior 
grade  offers  a  choice  of  two  groups,  each  occupy- 
ing four  years.  One  group  begins  with  the  history, 
of  religion  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  the  New  Testament  period,  and  follows 
with  the  Life  of  Christ  and  the  history  of  the 
Church.  These  occupy  the  first  two  years.  The 
third  and  fourth  years  are  a  study  of  the  religions 
of  the  world  and  the  missionary  activities  of  the 
Church,  and  of  the  function,  purpose,  and  work 
of  the  modern  Church.  The  other  group  is  a 
course  in  biblical  history,  making  a  careful  and 
systematic  study  of  the  history  of  Israel  to  the 
birth  of  Christ.  A  variety  of  adult  courses,  in- 
cluding some  short  courses  on  special  subjects, 
will  be  offered.  The  lessons  are  presented  with 
full  notes,  references  for  reading,  questions,  and 
topics  for  discussion.  Special  manuals  containing 
fuller  information  and  illustrative  material  with 
directions  for  the  conduct  of  the  work  are  pre- 
pared for  teachers. 


90  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

The  aim  of  the  Senior  grade  is  to  "confirm 

spiritual  relation  with  God  the  Father  and  Christ 

^,   .   ..       the  Brother  and  Guide;  to  lay  the  his- 

TheirAims  .     «  ,     .        «  .     , 

tone  foundation  tor  a  strong,  practical 

faith;  to  inspire  a  genuine  love  for  religion  and 
worship,  and  to  ally  the  individual  with  modern 
religious  and  social  movements."  The  purpose  is 
to  give  more  than  mere  information;  it  is  to  induce 
participation  in  the  great  movements  of  our  own 
time  which  are  bringing  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
The  aim  of  the  Adult  course  is  "to  adapt  the 
teaching  of  the  great  religious  teachers  of  the 
race  to  practical  needs  of  life;  to  develop  normal, 
intelligent,  faithful,  and  efficient  Christian  char- 
acter; to  produce  conscientious  parents,  loyal 
citizens,  effective  teachers."  In  this  aim,  it  will 
be  noted,  information  is  entirely  subordinated  to 
the  practical  ends  of  life.  Another  characteristic 
is  the  fact  that  some  of  the  courses,  in  all  the 
grades,  use  material  from  modern  life  as  well  as 
from  the  Bible.  There  is  a  frank  recognition  that, 
while  the  historic  origin  of  our  religion  is  in  the 
Bible,  and  nothing  can  be  made  a  substitute  for 
the  revelation  of  God  which  the  Bible  offers  to 
men,  yet  God  is  still  in  his  world  working  in  the 
might  of  his  Spirit.  These  courses  attempt  to 
show  how  we  may  hear  his  voice  and  be  workers 
with  him,  finding  instruction  and  inspiration  in 
the  life  of  the  present.     They   are  adapted   to 


BIBLE     STUDY     LESSONS 


91 


the  various  needs  of  the  better  equipped  classes. 
They  will  require  for  their  best  use  somewhat 
more  work  than  the  first  type  of  courses,  but  no 
more  than  literary  clubs  are  usually  willing  to 
put  upon  their  studies.  They  are  well  adapted 
to  the  best  classes  of  the  more  advanced  schools. 
Classes  and  teachers  who  are  willing  to  give  the 
time  that  the  subject  is  worth  need  not  turn 
from  them  because  of  lack  of  education  or  of 
habits  of  study.  Adult  classes  contemplating  the 
"Blakeslee"  system  should  not  take  the  first 
course  that  offers,  but  should  choose  with  care 
the  courses  best  adapted  for  their  own  special 
needs.  Each  course  has  been  worked  out  with 
great  care  to  accomplish  a  particular  purpose, 
and  the  class  and  teacher  owe  it  to  the  dignity 
of  their  work  to  find  the  course  which  best  suits 
their  own  needs. 


IX 

THE  YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN 
ASSOCIATION  COURSES 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  courses 
are  designed  for  the  Bible  study  classes  in  the  city 
Puroose  ^^^  college  associations.  They  cover  a 
and  wide  variety  of  subjects,  but  are  pre- 

sented with  some  uniformity  of  method 
and  grade  of  work.  The  general  plan  is  a  course 
of  from  twelve  to  twenty -five  lessons.  Each 
lesson  is  divided  into  seven  parts,  one  for  each 
day  of  the  week,  consisting  of  Scripture  portions 
and  a  page  or  so  of  comment  and  suggestion,  in- 
citing to  reflection  and  some  study.  The  object 
is,  in  connection  with  the  weekly  class,  to  pro- 
vide daily  connected  reading  and  so  to  keep  young 
men  in  touch  with  the  Bible,  prayer,  and  religious 
thought.  The  courses  are  in  the  main  admirable 
for  their  purpose.  They  are  practical  and  devo- 
tional. They  are  all  distinctly  orthodox.  Some 
of  them  are  prepared  by  scholars  fully  alive  to 
the  present  views  of  the  Bible,  but  biblical  criti- 
cism is  seldom  intruded.     They  are  as  well  fitted 

92 


ASSOCIATION     COURSES  93 

for  classes  of  young  people  in  the  Sunday-schools 
as  in  the  Associations.  Classes  whose  members 
are  too  busy  for  daily  study  would  usually  find 
some  other  courses  better.  While  not  demanding 
more  than  average  ability  for  study,  they  do  de- 
mand thought  and  daily  attention.  When  used, 
the  class  hour  should  be  spent  in  gathering  up 
and  discussing  the  important  things  in  the  week's 
study;  so  much  is  contained  in  the  lessons  that  a 
choice  must  be  made  and  things  of  lesser  impor- 
tance omitted.  The  emphasis  in  most  of  the 
courses  on  the  personal  Christian  life  will  naturally 
lead  to  the  same  emphasis  in  the  class.  Many 
Sunday-schools  might  well  organize  classes  among 
young  men  and  women  for  the  study  of  these 
'  courses,  but  for  such  classes  teachers  should  be 
chosen  with  special  care.  With  most  of  these 
lessons  only  those  teachers  will  succeed  who 
combine  a  genuinely  devotional  religion  with  a 
character  which  young  people  respect  and  find 
attractive.  A  class  of  young  people  taking  up  a 
course  where  emphasis  is  laid  on  devotional  study 
of  the  Bible  demands  a  more  careful  selection  of 
teacher  than  does  any  other  phase  of  Sunday- 
school  work.  This  is  not  because  young  people 
of  today  are  less  devotional  than  formerly,  but 
because  they  are  skilful  in  detecting  cant.  Now 
cant  is  the  avowed  or  tacit  assumption  of  a 
religious  experience  more  or  less  unreal.     Even 


94  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

well-meaning  persons  fall  easily  into  its  use. 
Young  people  do  not  need  teachers  who  have 
sounded  all  the  depths  of  religious  life,  but  they 
do  need  those  who  are  perfectly  honest  in  the 
expression  of  their  religious  experience,  whatever 
it  may  be,  and  who  are  able  to  translate  the 
experience  of  biblical  characters  and  the  biblical 
statements  of  religion  into  terms  of  twentieth 
century  every-day  life.  The  teacher  must  also 
have  sympathy  with  this  present  life.  The 
teacher  of  young  people  must  be  optimistic. 
The  Christian  to  whom  "the  world  is  growing 
evil"  is  not  fitted  to  teach  the  Bible  to  young 
people.  If  he  is  to  inspire  them  for  the  winning 
of  the  Kingdom,  he  must  have  eyes  to  see  its 
progress  in  the  movements  of  thought  and  action 
throughout  the  world  of  scholarship  and  politics 
and  business.  He  must  belong,  by  instinct  and 
training,  to  the  progressives. 

I.  Less  Advanced  Courses. 

The  following  courses  are  somewhat  elementary 
and  are  well  adapted  to  young  people  and  to  the 
less  advanced  adult  classes.  Most  of  them  con- 
tain a  large  element  of  information  as  well  as  of 
devotion. 

Men   of  the  Old  Testament.     18   studies.    L.  K. 

Willman. 
Life  and  Letters  of  Paul.    F,  S.  Goodman. 


association    courses  95 

Outline  Studies  in  Biblical  Facts  and  History. 
26  lessons.     /.  N,  Depuy  and  J.  B,  Travis. 

Introduction  to  Biblical  Study.  Authorship,  Con- 
tents, Geography,  Institutions,  and  Fundamental 
Teachings  of  the  Bible.     J.  W.  Cook. 

Outline  Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ.  40  les- 
sons which  may  be  covered  in  25  weeks.  James 
McConaughy. 

The  Great  Events  in  the  Life  of  Christ.  25 
studies.     James  McConaughy. 

Leaders  of  Israel.     25  lessons.     G.  L.  Robinson. 

Messages  of  the  Twelve  Prophets.  28  studies. 
W.  D.  Murray. 

Lessons  from  the  Story  op  Jesus.     Augustus  Nash. 

Main  Lines  in  the  Bible.  Short  studies  for  busy 
men.     14  lessons.     F.  S.  Goodman. 

II.    More  Advanced  Courses. 

Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ.     25  lessons.     W.  H. 

Salmon. 
Studies    in    the    Miracles.     20    lessons    based    on 

Matthew.     W.  H.  Salmon. 
Studies    in    the    Parables.     15    lessons    based    on 

Matthew.     W.  H.  Salmon. 
The    Social    Teachings     of     Jesus.     12     lessons. 

Jeremiah  W.  Jenks. 
Studies  in  Jeremiah.     30  studies.     W.  W.  White. 
Studies  in  Old  Testament  Characters.     30  studies. 

W.  W.  White. 
New  Studies  in  Acts.     19  studies.     E.  I.  Bosworth. 
The  Life  of  Paul.     24  lessons.     W.  H.  Salmon. 


96  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

Studies  in  Luke.  15  lessons.  Robert  E.  Speer. 
Studies  in  Acts.  31  lessons.  Robert  E.  Speer. 
Ten  Studies  in  Psalms.     10  representative  Psalms. 

J.  E.  McFadyen. 
Life    Problems.     24    lessons,    especially    for    young 

men.     Daggett,  Burr,  Ball,  and  Cooper. 
Inductive  Studies  in  John.    12  lessons.    W.  W.  White. 
Prayer,     Principles    and    Examples.     25    lessons. 

F.  S.  Goodman. 

III.   Special  Courses  of  a  More  Advanced 
Character  than  those  Noted  in  II. 

Studies  in  the  Life  of  Jesus  Christ.     30  studies. 

E.  I.  Bosworth. 
Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ.     30  studies  based 

upon  the  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  by  Stevens  and 

Burton.     H.  L.  Sharman.     This  course  has  been 

extensively  used  in  college  Bible  classes. 
Teaching  of  Jesus  and  His  Apostles.     30  lessons. 

E.  I.  Bosworth. 
Truth    of    the    Apostolic    Gospel.     30    studies. 

R.  A.  Falconer. 
Wisdom  Literature  of  the  Old  Testament.     Job, 

Proverbs,  and  Ecclesiastes.     H.  T.  Fowler. 
The  Will  of   God.     Self -surrender  to  the  Will    of 

God  as  interpreted  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles. 

25  lessons.    H.  B.  Wright. 


THE  CONSTRUCTIVE  BIBLE  STUDIES 

The  University  of  Chicago  has  pubhshed  a 
graded  series  of  lessons,  called  "The  Constructive 
Purpose  Bible  Studies."  Adult  classes  will  find 
and  Method  jessons  specially  fitted  for  use  in  the 
courses  of  the  Adult  Division,  the  Advanced  and 
Supplementary  Series,  and  in  some  of  the  courses 
for  the  Secondary  Division.  The  studies  are 
carefully  graded  and  aim  to  meet  the  needs  of 
the  various  departments  of  the  school  by  lessons 
prepared  by  educational  experts.  The  particular 
needs  of  the  adult  classes  have  received  careful 
attention  in  the  system.  The  courses  arranged 
for  adults  keep  two  kinds  of  classes  in  mind:  those 
who  are  preparing  for  the  position  of  teachers, 
and  those  studying  for  their  own  personal  profit. 
For  the  first  kind,  courses  emphasizing  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  Bible  and  courses  of  religious  peda- 
gogy are  provided;  for  the  latter,  a  variety  of 
elective  courses,  to  suit  various  tastes  and  differ- 
ing needs.  All  the  adult  courses  are  embodied 
in  books  of  considerable  size,  in  most  cases  cost- 

97 


98  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

ing  one  dollar  each.     The  biblical  courses  provide 

very  thorough  study  and  are  adapted  to  really 

advanced  classes,  able  to  do   concentrated  and 

careful  work. 

Churches  with  membership  among  intelligent 

and  educated  people   ought   to  have  classes  in 

the  Sunday-school  willing  to  do  work 

Class  to        of  the  seriousness  demanded  by  such 

n^^^A^ii^tL  courses.     It    is   not   to   the    credit    of 
are  Adaptea 

Christian  intelligence  that,  while  classes 
for  the  study  of  languages,  philosophies,  and 
literatures  flourish,  it  is  difficult  to  inspire  a 
Sunday-school  class  to  study  the  Bible  seriously. 
It  is  encouraging  that  courses  demanding  con- 
siderable study  are  offered.  Adult  classes  ought 
to  be  ambitious  to  do  the  best  possible  work. 
For  some  classes  the  work  here  outlined  is  too 
advanced.  For  others,  it  takes  up  too  much 
time,  if  well  done;  but  a  large  number  of  classes 
might  do  such  work.  There  are  also  a  large 
number  of  people,  not  in  classes,  who  have  grown 
tired  of  the  lessons  which  Sunday-schools  have 
usually  offered,  but  who  would  welcome  a  chance 
to  do  some  thorough  Bible  work. 

The  following  courses  are  now  prepared: 

The  Prophetic  Element  in  the  Old  Testament. 
President  William  R.  Harper.  142  pages.  The 
principles  of  prophecy,  with  a  study  of  its  develop- 
ment through  the  history  of  Israel  down  to  Amos 


BIBLESTUDIES  99 

and  Hosea.  Full  literary  references,  careful  study 
of  the  prophetic  elements  in  the  historical  books 
from  Genesis  to  Kings.  The  course  is  closely 
packed  with  suggestions  for  work.  It  can  be  used 
to  best  advantage  under  a  teacher  who  is  familiar 
with  the  terms  and  the  principles  of  modern 
biblical  criticism.  The  chapters  should  be  divided 
into  convenient  lessons,  summing  up  the  main 
points  after  the  study  of  each  chapter.  Most 
classes  will  find  it  profitable  to  divide  the  sug- 
gested work  among  the  members.  Only  a  few 
members  would  have  time  to  do  all  the  work 
individually,  but  by  reports  of  work  done  the 
entire  class  may  get  the  benefit  of  each  other's 
study. 

The  Priestly  Element  in  the  Old  Testament. 
President  William  R.  Harper.  292  pages.  The 
history  of  worship  in  the  Old  Testament;  the 
laws;  the  priestly  element  in  the  Hexateuch, 
Chronicles,  Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  the  Psalms;  the 
significance  of  this  element.  Of  the  same  general 
character  as  the  volume  mentioned  above,  but 
covering  more  biblical  material,  and  even  more 
completely  and  comprehensively  presented.  An 
admirable  study  of  a  section  of  the  Old  Testament 
not  often  studied.  Classes  would  do  well,  unless 
accustomed  to  advanced  work,  to  precede  this 
book  by  that  on  the  Prophetic  Element. 

The  Life  of  Christ.  Burton  and  Mathews,  The 
Gospel  material  is  printed  with  each  lesson. 
Full  notes  follow,  furnishing  needed  information. 


100  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

Abundant  literary  reference  is  made  and  oppor- 
tunity given  for  written  work.  This  course  is 
perhaps  more  elementary  than  some  others  of  the 
series. 
A  Short  History  of  Christianity  in  the  Apostolic 
Age.  George  Holley  Gilbert.  Maps  and  illustra- 
tions. 239  pages.  A  study  of  the  life  of  the 
early  Church  and  of  the  New  Testament,  except 
the  Gospels.  So  arranged  as  to  encourage  the 
study  of  the  Bible  text.  Questions,  supplementary 
topics  for  study,  and  literary  references.  This 
course  is  less  condensed  than  those  of  President 
Harper  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  adapted  for 
less  advanced  classes,  but  most  adult  classes  will 
find  it  as  thorough  as  their  time  will  allow.  Some 
of  the  twenty-five  chapters  may  be  divided  into 
two  or  more  lessons;  if  so,  the  questions  at  the 
end  of  the  chapter  should  be  divided  correspond- 
ingly. The  topics  may  be  reported  on  by  indi- 
viduals, or  omitted  if  desired,  without  affecting 
the  unity  of  the  work.  This  course  is  adapted  to 
a  class  which  is  willing  to  work,  with  some  time 
for  study,  though  not  necessarily  familiar  with 
modern  Bible  study. 

A  series  of  supplemental  and  extra-biblical 
courses  is  provided,  especially  adapted  to  classes 
Special  which  wish  to  give  thorough  study  to 
Courses  special  subjects.  The  books  are  clearly 
written,  usually  with  suggestions  for  further 
study. 


BIBLE     STUDIES  101 

The  following  courses  are  offered; 

Christianity  and  its  Bible.  H.  F.  Waring.  Twenty- 
three  chapters.  "The  origin  of  Old  Testament 
religion  and  of  Christianity,  the  history  of  the 
Christian  Church,  summary  of  present  day  Chris- 
tianity," with  suggestions  for  further  study. 

A  Short  Introduction  to  the  Gospels.  Ernest  D. 
Burton.  A  study  of  the  separate  gospels  and  the 
synoptic  problems.  This  is  a  subject  with  which 
anyone  who  undertakes  to  teach  the  New  Testa- 
ment should  be  familiar. 

A  Handbook  on  the  Life  of  the  Apostle  Paul. 
Ernest  D.  Burton.  An  outline  of  the  facts  of  the 
life  and  letters  of  Paul,  adapted  to  mature  students. 

Social  Duties.  Charles  Richmond  Henderson.  A 
careful  study  of  present  social  problems  from  a 
Christian  point  of  view.  Country  and  city  prob- 
lems, labor  and  capital,  family,  corporation, 
civic,  and  church  rights  and  obligations  are 
discussed.  It  is  not  too  difficult  for  classes  of 
ordinary  education.  This  subject,  so  much  dis- 
cussed at  the  present  time,  is  here  very  skilfully 
and  wisely  presented. 

Great  Men  of  the  Christian  Church.  Williston 
Walker.  378  pages.  Twenty  brief  biographies 
of  the  leaders  of  the  Church,  including  Justin 
Martyr,  Athanasius,  Augustine,  Hildebrand, 
Francis,  Wycliffe,  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  Loyola, 
Edwards,  Bushnell.  Questions  and  references  for 
additional    reading.     The    biographies   are   com- 


102  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

pact  and  interesting,  so  chosen  as  to  give  a 
connected  view  of  the  great  movements  of  the 
Church,  providing  an  interesting  course  for  a  class 
wishing  a  gUmpse  of  Church  history.  Any  class 
of  fairly  educated  people  might  take  the  study 
with  profit.  A  chapter  covers  less  space  than  an 
ordinary  magazine  article.  Supplementary  read- 
ing might  profitably  be  done  by  some.  The  dis- 
cussion in  the  class  should  concern  itself  with 
the  period,  the  character,  the  work  of  the  man, 
and  his  relation  to  the  Church  and  the  problems 
of  the  present  day. 

The  Outline  Courses  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Sacred  Literature 

These  are  designed  primarily  for  correspond- 
ence work,  but  may  easily  be  adapted  to  class 
work.  The  text-books  consist  largely  of  direc- 
tions for  the  study  of  biblical  passages,  with 
topics  for  discussion,  investigation,  and  reading. 
In  the  hands  of  a  skilful  teacher  who  desires  to 
do  somewhat  independent  work,  and  yet  to  have 
a  guide  for  the  study  of  the  class,  they  are  admi- 
rable.    The  courses  are  as  follows: 

The  Foreshadowing s  of  the  Christ.     William  R. 

Harper. 
The  Life  of  the  Christ.     Ernest  D.  Burton. 
The  Founding  of  the  Christian  Church.     Ernest 

D.  Burton. 


BIBLE     STUDIES  103 

The  Work  of  the  Old  Testament  Sages.     William 

R.  Harper. 
The     Work     of    the     Old    Testament     Priests. 

William  R.  Harper. 
The    Social    and    Ethical    Teachings    of    Jesus. 

Shailer  Mathews. 
The   Universal  Element   in   the   Psalter.     John 

M.  P.  Smith. 
The   Book   of   Job,   or  the   Problem   of   Human 

Suffering.     William  R.  Harper. 
Four  Letters  of  Paul.     Ernest  D.  Burton. 
The  Origin  and  Religious  Teaching  of  the  Old 

Testament  Books.     Georgia   Louise  Chamherlin. 


XI 


ADDITIONAL   BIBLE   STUDY   COURSES 

In  addition  to  the  courses  of  study  mentioned 
in  the  previous  chapters,  a  constantly  increasing 

number  of  adult  biblical  courses  are 
'ment^oT^'  ^^^^S  prepared  and  published.  This  ac- 
Special  tivity  in  production  is  largely  the  result 
Courses       of  the  increased  interest  in  the  adult 

class  during  the  years  since  about  1905. 
Before  that  time  few  adult  class  courses  were 
published  except  by  certain  denominations  which 
have  never  widely  used  the  International  Lesson 
System.  Even  before  1900  a  few  adult  classes 
had  tried  to  obtain  independent  lessons,  but  in 
the  main  they  had  been  obliged  to  make  their 
own  outlines  of  study.  This  could  only  be  done 
where  the  class  included  some  members  more 
familiar  with  biblical  study  than  were  most  Sun- 
day-school students.  The  English  Bible  Courses 
of  the  American  Institute  of  Sacred  Literature 
were  used  by  some  classes.  Certain  Diocesan 
Commissions  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
the  Friends'  First  Day  School  Association,  several 

104 


ADDITIONAL     COURSES  105 

of  the  Lutheran  Synods  into  which  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  America  is  divided,  and  the  Unitarian 
Sunday  School  Association  were  all  working  out 
senior  or  adult  courses  of  much  excellence  in  con- 
nection with  general  graded  courses.  Since  1905 
other  denominations,  whose  publishing  houses 
were  in  former  years  exclusively  interested  in 
lesson  helps  for  the  International  System,  have 
begun  to  recognize  the  need  of  independent  courses 
for  the  adult  section  of  the  Sunday-school. 

The  increase  of  independent  courses  has  not 
been  at  the  expense  of  the  older  International 
System.  On  the  contrary  the  same  period  has 
seen  the  rise,  largely  within  the  field  of  this 
system  itself,  of  a  very  remarkable  "adult  class 
movement"  and  the  preparation  of  adult  class 
helps  of  much  greater  abundance  and  excellence 
than  ever  before.  Many  of  the  denominational 
and  other  publishing  houses  which  supply  helps 
for  the  International  Lessons  now  publish  maga- 
zines devoted  exclusively  to  the  needs  of  the  adult 
class.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  field  ever  becomes  so 
thoroughly  covered  that  the  various  adult  courses 
will  intrude  upon  each  other.  At  present  any 
course  of  study  which  can  command  the  attention 
of  an  adult  class  helps  all  other  courses. 

The  International  Graded  Courses,  the  Construc- 
tive Bible  Study  Courses,  and  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  Courses  offer  a  wide  variety 


106  ADULT     CLASS     STUDY 

of  subject  and  method  of  study  for  adult  classes. 
In  addition  the  following  courses  are  published: 

I.   Introduction  and  General  Courses. 

The  Sunday  School  Teachers'  Bible  (National 
Teacher  Training  Institute  Text-books).  Griffith 
and  Rowland  Press:  Philadelphia.  Paper,  30 
cents;  boards,  50  cents.  Part  I  is  a  general  intro- 
duction to  the  Bible;  Part  II,  the  great  vital 
doctrines  of  the  Bible.  Twenty  studies,  with 
topics  for  discussion  and  papers.  The  positions 
taken  are  the  traditional.  Designed  for  teachers, 
and  somewhat  too  compact  for  most  classes. 

The  Books  of  the  Bible  with  Relation  to  their 
Place  in  History.  Hazard  and  Fowler.  Pilgrim 
Press:  Boston.  50  cents.  A  book  for  advanced 
classes,  presenting  a  study  of  the  books  of  the 
Bible  from  a  modern  point  of  view.  The  study 
is  prepared  for  class  work,  with  references,  ques- 
tions, and  topics  for  discussion.  Adapted  for  a 
class  which  desires  a  compact  presentation  of  the 
Bible  as  seen  by  modern  scholars. 

The  Making  of  the  Bible.  Rev.  William  Walter 
Smith.  Sunday  School  Commission,  Diocese  of 
New  York.  12  cents.  Fifteen  lessons  on  origin, 
manuscripts,  versions  of  the  Bible,  with  special 
attention  to  the  English  versions.  Bibliography 
and  questions  condensed  but  valuable. 

Great  Passages  from  the  Bible.  W.  Hanson 
Pulsford.  Unitarian  Sunday  School  Society :  Bos- 
ton.    25  cents.     A  study  of  the  historical  mean- 


ADDITIONAL     COURSES  107 

ing  and  religious  significance  of  great  passages 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  Prepared  from 
a  modern  point  of  view. 

Bible  Studies  for  Adult  Classes.  Philip  A. 
Nordell.  American  Baptist  Publication  Society: 
Philadelphia.  Three  numbers,  20  cents  each. 
No.  1.  Old  Testament  History;  No.  2.  The 
Life  of  Christ;  No.  3.  The  Apostolic  Age.  Scrip- 
ture lessons,  daily  readings,  questions  for  study 
and  for  written  answers. 

The  Bible  as  Literature;  its  Authorship,  History, 
AND  Development.  (Friends'  Graded  Series.) 
Walter  H.  Jenkins:  Philadelphia.  Four  quarter- 
lies, 5  cents  each.  A  simple  study  of  the  facts 
regarding  the  Bible,  which  may  be  used  as  an 
introductory  course  to  other  biblical  study. 

Bible  History  Series.  (Friends'  Graded  Series.) 
Walter  H.  Jenkins:  Philadelphia.  Eight  quarter- 
lies, 5  cents  each.  The  history  of  the  Hebrews 
and  of  the  early  Church  simply  and  clearly 
told,  with  questions  and  suggestions  for  study. 
Can  be  used  by  classes  of  limited  time  and 
facilities. 

II.   Biblical  Geography. 

Home  Travel  through  Bible  Lands.  J.  T.  Sunder- 
land. Unitarian  Sunday  School  Society:  Boston. 
15  cents.  Thirty-eight  lessons,  making  a  journey 
through  Palestine,  Egypt,  Phoenicia,  Syria,  As- 
syria, Babylonia,  Asia  Minor,  Greece,  and  Rome, 
with  abundant  references  to  descriptive  literature 


108  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

and  a  bibliography.  An  interesting  course  for  a 
class  with  some  leisure  for  reading. 

Biblical  Geography  and  History.  Charles  F.  Kent. 
Scribners.  $1.50.  Twenty-six  chapters,  with 
an  appendix  containing  general  questions  and 
subjects  for  special  research  in  connection  with 
each  chapter.  Part  I  deals  concisely  with  the 
physical  geography  of  biblical  lands.  Part  II 
presents  the  successive  periods  of  biblical  history, 
beginning  with  "Early  Palestine"  and  concluding 
with  *'The  Expansion  of  Christianity,"  in  the 
light  of  the  geographical  background.  Adapted 
for  use  by  classes  desiring  to  make  a  thorough 
study  of  the  historical  geography  of  the  Bible. 

Biblical  Geography.  7.  F.  Wood.  Pilgrim  Press: 
Boston.  5  cents.  An  outline  study  comprising 
twelve  lessons,  many  of  which  may  profitably 
occupy  more  than  one  Sunday.  The  geography 
of  the  different  historical  periods,  giving  subjects 
and  bibliography.  Adapted  to  classes  which  can 
provide  any  one  of  the  hand-books  suggested. 

III.  Old  Testament. 

Historical  Bible.  Charles  F.  Kent.  Scribners.  6 
vols.  $1.00  per  volume.  Contains  text  in  a  fresh 
translation,  historical  and  critical  notes,  and 
questions  for  further  study  and  class  discussion, 
prepared  from  a  modern  point  of  view.  Adapted 
to  either  reading  or  study  classes  which  wish  to 
get  the  text  of  the  Bible  in  its  historical  setting 
and  chronological  order.     One  or  more  volumes 


ADDITIONAL     COURSES  109 

may  be  used,  as  desired.  Classes  not  specially 
advanced  could  use  them  profitably,  but  advanced 
classes  would  obtain  more  benefit  from  them. 

The  Early  Days  of  Israel.  Wood  and  Hall. 
Pilgrim  Press:  Boston.  60  cents.  Forty  lessons 
in  three  parts,  covering  the  period  to  the  Judges, 
with  a  special  study  of  Hebrew  law.  Directions 
for  study,  references  and  topics  for  further  study, 
class  questions.  Adapted  for  advanced  classes 
who  wish  to  study  the  biblical  books  as  literature 
and  history  and  to  note  the  legitimate  connections 
which  may  be  made  with  modern  life. 

The  Days  of  the  Kings  of  Israel.  Wood  and  Hall. 
Pilgrim  Press:  Boston.  75  cents.  Continues  the 
"Early  Days  of  Israel."  Covers  history  and 
prophecy  to  the  Exile. 

The  Minor  Prophets.  Frederick  Carl  Eiselen.  Eaton 
&  Mains,  New  York.  $2.00  net.  A  sympathetic 
and  scholarly,  yet  readable  commentary  on  the 
Minor  Prophets,  considered  by  many  the  best 
single  volume  commentary  on  the  subject  in  the 
Enghsh  language.  Well  suited  for  use  by  adult 
classes  desiring  to  consider  seriously  the  problems 
involved  in  Old  Testament  prophecy. 

Prophecy  and  the  Prophets.  Frederick  Carl  Eiselen. 
Eaton  &  Mains,  New  York.  $1.50  net.  A  book 
intended  to  be  an  aid  toward  a  better  appreciation 
of  the  prophetic  books  and  prophetic  teaching  in 
general.  In  the  pubUcation  of  this  volume  the 
author  has  had  in  mind  especially  adult  Bible 
classes  in  the  Sunday-school. 


110  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

Samuel,  Saul,  and  David.  W.  J.  Mutch.  Ripon, 
Wis.  Privately  published.  50  cents.  Arranged 
for  the  addition  of  notes,  maps,  or  pictures. 

The  Prophets  as  Statesmen  and  Teachers.  Henry 
T.  Fowler.  Pilgrim  Press:  Boston.  30  cents.  A 
study  of  the  prophets  in  their  historical  setting, 
with  references  and  questions  for  further  study. 
Adapted  for  thoughtful  classes  who  desire  to  gain 
a  knowledge  of  the  prophets  from  the  point  of 
view  of  modern  study. 

A  Study  of  the  Prophets.  (Friends'  Graded  Series.) 
Walter  H.  Jenkins :  Philadelphia.  Four  quarterlies, 
5  cents  each.  The  prophets  from  Amos  to  the 
Exile,  with  information  about  their  work  and  a 
fresh  translation  of  important  passages  from  their 
writings.  Modern  in  point  of  view.  The  course 
might  be  used  with  equal  profit  by  classes  of 
various  grades  of  advancement. 

Great  Thoughts  of  Israel.  W.  Hanson  Pulsford. 
Twenty  lessons  for  advanced  classes.  Unitarian 
Sunday  School  Society:  Boston.  12  cents.  This 
course  studies  the  Psalms,  Proverbs,  Job,  Ecclesi- 
astes.  Chronicles,  Ruth,  Esther,  Jonah,  and  some 
apocryphal  books,  dealing  with  their  authorship, 
meaning,  and  usefulness,  in  the  light  of  modern 
study.  Adapted  for  advanced  classes  with  some 
knowledge  of  modern  views  of  the  Bible. 

From  the  Exile  to  the  Advent.  Rev.  William  Walter 
Smith.  The  Young  Churchman  Co.,  Milwaukee. 
20  cents.  15  lessons,  many  of  which  may  be 
profitably  divided  to  make  a  longer  course.     Con- 


ADDITIONAL     COURSES  111 

densed  chapters  in  history,  with  references  to  lit- 
erature and  to  biblical  and  apocryphal  books,  and 
questions.  An  excellent  presentation  of  a  subject 
too  little  known.  May  be  used  without  previous 
advanced  study. 
Between  the  Testaments.  C.  M.  Grant.  Revell: 
New  York.  75  cents.  Deals  with  a  period  which 
adult  classes  will  always  find  profit  in  studying. 
The  book  may  be  used  in  connection  with  the 
reading  of  the  later  Psalms,  Ecclesiastes,  Daniel, 
and  the  apocryphal  books. 

IV.     New  Testament. 

The  New  Testament  and  its  Contents.  J.  A, 
McClymont.  Revell:  New  York.  (Guild  Text- 
book.) Paper,  25  cents;  boards,  40  cents.  A 
simple  outline  study  of  New  Testament  literature. 

New  Testament  Authors  and  Their  Works. 
Richard  Morse  Hodge.  A.  G.  Seiler:  New  York. 
Covers  New  Testament  Introduction,  with  recog- 
nition of  the  modern  point  of  view.  Adapted 
for  advanced  classes. 

Study  of  the  Life  of  Jesus.  George  B.  Stewart. 
Pilgrim  Press :  Boston.  40  cents.  A  year's  course 
prepared  for  class  use,  with  suggestions  for  study, 
questions,  and  references.  A  scholarly  course 
adapted  for  classes  of  average  leisure. 

A  Reasonable  Way  to  Study  the  Bible.  The  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  and  Epistles.  Isabella  T.  Redfield, 
Pittsfield,  Mass.  Privately  published.  50  cents. 
A  book  composed  entirely  of  suggestions  for  study 


112  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

and  questions.  It  has  the  advantage  of  being 
based  almost  solely  upon  the  biblical  text,  making 
it  possible  to  use  it  with  classes  where  reference 
facilities  are  meager. 

The  Life  and  Work  of  Paul.  Augustus  T.  Murray. 
(Friends'  Graded  Series.)  Walter  H.  Jenkins: 
Philadelphia.  The  story  of  Paul  and  his  letters, 
clearly  written,  with  questions  and  topics  for  class 
use.  An  excellent  course  for  a  general  survey  of 
Paul's  work. 

Epistles  of  the  New  Testament.  The  Young 
Churchman  Co.  of  Milwaukee.  Two  parts,  10 
cents  each.  Teachers'  Notes,  two  parts,  25 
cents  each.  Summaries  of  origin,  purpose,  and 
content  of  the  Epistles,  with  questions  and  maps. 
A  clear  and  simple  presentation. 


XII 


BIBLE  READING  COURSES 

The  chapters  in  the  first  part  of  this  book  have 
mentioned  Bible  reading  classes.  By  that  term 
is  meant  classes  which  do  not  try  to  study,  in 
any  formal  way,  but  to  read  the  Bible.  It  was 
said  that  a  large  proportion  of  our  adult  classes 
are  really  reading  classes,  although  they  nominally 
rank  as  classes  for  study.  Many  Sunday-schools 
would  find  it  profitable  to  organize  reading  classes, 
which  should  not  pretend  to  engage  in  any  study, 
but  should  purpose  to  read  the  Bible  and  to  dis- 
cuss in  the  class  what  they  had  read.  Such 
classes  have  a  distinct  place  in  the  Sunday-school 
economy.  Many  who  do  not  care  for  study 
might  be  attracted  by  the  proposition  to  read 
the  Bible. 

There  is  danger  that,  amid  the  multiplicity  of 
other  reading,  Bible  reading  will  become  almost 

The  Inter-    ^  ^^^^  ^^^'     '^^^  danger  is  the  greater 

est  of  Bible  because    there    is    a    widespread    idea, 

^^       current  even  among  Christian  people, 

that  the  Bible  is  not  interesting.     Few  people 

113 


114  ADULTCLASSSTUDY 

state  it  so  frankly  as  that,  but  the  idea  is  there 
nevertheless.  There  is  a  certain  amount  of 
truth  in  it.  It  is  quite  true  that  the  Bible  is 
hardly  interesting  reading  matter  to  those  whose 
tastes  are  formed  by  the  "best  sellers"  and  the 
Sunday  papers.  It  is  also  true  that,  for  many 
Christian  people,  a  general,  even  if  somewhat 
superficial,  familiarity  has  taken  the  edge  of 
novelty  off  the  interest  of  Bible  reading.  The 
same  thing  is  true  of  Dickens  or  Scott  or  Tenny- 
son, but  the  same  interest  which  sends  one  to 
reread  Oliver  Twist  or  Ivanhoe  or  The  Idylls  of 
the  King  might  well  be  appealed  to  in  favor  of 
rereading  Genesis  or  Samuel  or  Job.  The  Bible 
is  interesting  reading  to  thoughtful  readers.  It 
is  not  uniform  in  its  interest.  Some  parts  are 
much  more  interesting  than  others.  There  are 
good  reasons  why  they  should  be.  The  Bible  is  a 
literature,  not  a  single  book,  and  it  differs  within 
itself  as  widely  as  any  other  literature.  People 
have  distinct  tastes  in  literature.  Some  care 
nothing  for  poetry,  and  others  find  no  pleasure  in 
biography.  To  most  people,  however,  almost  any 
literature  has  a  certain  measure  of  attraction, 
dependent  not  so  much  upon  its  kind  as  upon  the 
interest  in  its  content.  The  content  of  all  kinds 
of  literature  in  the  Bible  is  religious.  For  the  re- 
ligious person,  interest  in  Bible  reading  is  largely 
measured,  not  so  much  by  the  question  of  whether 


BIBLE     READING     COURSES  115 

it  is  poetry  or  biography,  narration  or  oration,  as 
by  the  question  of  how  close  the  rehgious  expe- 
rience which  it  narrates  comes  to  his  own  life. 

This  gives  us  the  key  to  the  work  of  the  read- 
ing class.  Its  chief  purpose  is  to  interpret  the 
The  religious  experience  which  is  expressed 

Purpose  [^  ^Y^Q  book  read.  That  does  not  mean 
that  the  literary  or  historical  values  are  to  be 
ignored,  but  it  means  that  these,  while  having 
their  own  interest,  are  secondary  and  subordinate 
to  the  religious  values.  In  fact,  the  literary 
values  can  be  realized  only  through  the  religious 
values,  as  the  intellectual  significance  of  a  great 
picture  can  only  be  seen  through  its  artistic 
significance. 

Sunday-school  publishers  have  never  recognized 
the  reading  class.  Nearly  all  the  helps  published 
have  in  mind  classes  which  are  designed 
sites  of  a  for  study,  albeit  the  amount  of  study 
Course^  required  has  sometimes  been  very  small. 
But  merely  to  avoid  study  is  not  to  read. 
Reading  and  study  are  two  quite  different  things. 
Reading  courses  should  be  as  carefully  planned 
as  study  courses.  They  do  not  need  as  much  in 
the  way  of  helps,  but  they  imperatively  need 
certain  aids.  Often  the  wise  pastor,  if  he  has  a 
well-furnished  library,  can  give  all  the  assistance 
necessary.  Sometimes  the  purchase  of  one  or 
two  books  by  the  class  or  the  teacher  will  be  all 


116        ADULT  CLASS  STUD^ 

that  is  needed  to  put  the  reading  class  in  possession 
of  the  desired  knowledge.  In  any  case,  however, 
the  class  should  lay  out  a  definite  course  of  Bible 
reading.  It  may  be  very  simple  and  may  adjust 
itself  to  change  as  the  course  proceeds,  but  it 
should  have  some  objective  point,  clearly  seen 
and  well  considered,  some  definite,  recognized 
purpose,  toward  which  it  proceeds  in  an  orderly 
way.  In  all  cases,  as  suggested  on  page  53, 
some  knowledge  of  the  biblical  books  read  should 
be  gained  by  the  class.  Such  knowledge  should 
include  the  date,  purpose,  and,  when  known,  the 
historical  background  of  the  books,  with  some 
consideration  of  the  literary  qualities,  divisions 
of  the  books,  and  any  special  subjects  which 
are  of  interest.  One  may  sum  up  this  require- 
ment of  knowledge  thus:  those  things  must  be 
known  which  will  make  it  possible  to  understand 
what  the  author  meant  by  the  book.  In  most 
cases  this  requirement  is  neither  complex  nor 
abstruse. 

A  great  variety  of  reading  courses  may  be 
Courses  for  ^^^^^S^^-  The  whole  field  of  biblical 
Bible  literature   lies   open    to    such   a   class, 

ea  ing  There  is  no  need  of  great  scholarship 
or  even  much  education  to  plan  a  profitable 
course  of  Bible  reading.  Since,  however,  such 
courses  are  not  familiar  to  most  classes,  a  few 
courses  may  be  outlined.     These  courses  may  be 


BIBLE     READING     COURSES  117 

regarded  as  examples   suggesting  what  may  be 
done  in  other  parts  of  the  Bible. 

I.   Old  Testament  Courses. 

1.  Stories    of    the    Early    National   Period    in 

Israel;  Judges  and  Samuel.  Strong,  vigorous 
pictures  of  an  early  civilization  and  the  struggle 
from  a  tribal  into  a  national  life,  with  strongly 
drawn  character  sketches.  Judges  17-21  and 
II  Sam.  22-24  may  be  omitted,  being  appendices 
to  the  books.  Notice  how  the  purpose  of  Judges 
is  shown  in  the  preface  (2:  10-21);  the  author 
wishes  to  show  how  the  nation  suffered  when  it 
forsook  Jehovah,  and  was  prosperous  when  it 
followed  him.  Samuel  is  a  study  in  a  kindred 
subject:  sin  brings  suffering.  Observe  how  the 
author  brings  out  that  lesson  in  his  stories  of 
Saul  and  of  David  and  how  he  applies  his  lesson 
both  to  the  nation  and  to  individuals.  Do  not, 
however,  in  seeking  the  religious  values,  miss  the 
splendid  story-telling  of  these  books. 

2.  The  History  of  the  Divided  Kingdoms  in  Kings, 

with  Chronicles  used  only  for  comparison.  Notice 
the  formulas  continually  recurring  in  beginning 
and  closing  the  accounts  of  the  kings,  the  rapidly 
varying  fortunes  of  the  kingdoms,  the  little 
vignettes  of  character  and  national  life  which 
'  often  occur,  the  author's  purpose  through  it  all, 
as  in  Judges,  to  measure  prosperity  and  adversity 
by  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God.  Note  the  dif- 
ferent kind  of  literature  in  the  stories  of  Elijah 


118  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

and  Elisha,  which  read  like  popular  tales  in  the 
midst  of  history. 

3.  The  Traditions  of  the  Nation.     Genesis,  Exo- 

dus i-xx.  These  books  also  contain  much  splendid 
story-telling.  Read  them  as  the  stories  that  came 
down  to  the  Hebrew  race  out  of  the  olden 
time,  not  puzzling  over  the  problems  of  his- 
tory which  they  present.  Read  them  rather  as 
you  would  stories  from  Homer,  if  Homer  were 
retold  with  a  strongly  religious  purpose.  Notice 
how  all  these  stories  of  old  time  have  been 
made  to  teach  a  lesson,  and  how  often  that 
lesson  is:  sin  brings  suffering.  Do  not  fail  to 
appreciate  the  fine  character  drawing  in  the  tales 
of  Abraham,  Jacob,  Joseph,  Moses.  Did  the 
author  mean  to  hold  them  up  as  models  to  his 
readers? 

4.  The  Wisdom  Books;    Proverbs,  Job,  Ecclesi- 

astes.  These  may  all  be  read  in  one  course, 
comparing  the  purpose  and  the  style  of  the 
different  books.  More  valuable  for  many  classes 
would  be  the  reading  of  each  book  separately, 
in  a  short  course.  The  keen  observation  of  life 
and  human  nature,  the  clear  statement  of  a  com- 
mon-sense ethics,  often  the  sharp  wit  of  these 
books,  makes  them  particularly  attractive  to  the 
modern  age.  Job  and  Ecclesiastes  especially  need 
some  accompanying  information  as  to  the  pur- 
pose and  problems  of  the  books,  and  all  will  be 
read  with  keener  enjoyment  if  the  class  can  bring 
to  them  some  literary  appreciation.    Few  biblical 


BIBLE     READING     COURSES  119 

books  offer  richer  rewards  for  intelligent  reading 
than  do  these  books. 

5.  The  Prophets.     These  present  a  great  variety  of 

profitable  courses.  Classes  with  patience  for  a 
long  course  may  well  read  them  all,  arranged  in 
a  chronological  order.  Their  variety  is  so  great 
that  such  a  course  would  not  suffer  from  monotony. 
Most  classes  will  wish  to  take  groups  or  single 
books.  The  following  are  natural  group-divisions: 
(A)  The  early  prophets:  Amos,  Hosea,  Isaiah 
(Chs.  1-30  only),  Micah.  (B)  The  prophets  of 
the  later  kingdom:  Jeremiah,  with  Zephaniah, 
Nahum,  Habakkuk.  (C)  The  prophets  of  the 
Exile:  Ezekiel,  Isaiah  40-66.  (D)  The  prophets 
after  the  Exile:  Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi,  Joel. 
In  all  cases  the  reading  should  be  accompanied 
by  some  information  as  to  the  historical  situa- 
tion of  the  prophet,  his  main  purpose,  and  the 
peculiarities  of  the  book.  Most  prophetic  books 
are  rather  collections  of  fragments  than  logically 
arranged  literature.  The  interest  lies  in  their 
great  vigor  and  power  of  expression,  and  in  their 
uncompromising  statement  of  religious  and  moral 
principles.  The  books  must  not  be  read  or 
judged  as  polished  literature,  but  as  stray  leaves 
of  the  words  of  earnest  reformers,  often  wonder- 
fully eloquent,  strong  hammer-strokes  at  great 
evils.    Read  in  this  way  they  are  very  fascinating. 

6.  The  Biblical  Short   Stories;    Ruth,   Esther, 

AND  Jonah.  A  group  of  tales,  each  excellent  of 
its  kind,  and  each  different  from  the  others.     To 


120  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

read  them  as  a  group  and  note  comparisons  and 
contrasts  is  most  interesting.  The  class  should 
be  encouraged  to  discuss  them  with  perfect  free- 
dom as  pieces  of  literature. 
7.  The  Apocrypha.  Most  Protestant  Christians 
would  find  the  Apocrypha  new  ground.  Much 
of  it  is  very  valuable  both  as  literature  and  as 
religious  teaching.  The  best  material  for  class 
reading  falls  into  two  groups:  (1)  Wisdom:  Ec- 
clesiasticus  and  The  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  (2) 
History:  Esdras,  land  II  Maccabees.  The  Mac- 
cabees present  the  most  heroic  age  of  Hebrew  his- 
tory, an  age  which  possesses  an  interest  and  value 
equal  to  any  whose  story  is  told  in  the  biblical 
books. 

II.   New  Testament  Courses. 

1.  The  Life  of  Christ,  as  outUned  in  a  Harmony, 

such  as  Stevens  and  Burton's. 

2.  Any  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels.     The  Gospel  may 

be  read  alone,  but  it  will  be  found  more  profitable 
to  compare  the  parallel  material  in  other  Synoptics. 
In  any  case  the  study  should  be  preceded  by  some 
knowledge  of  the  relation  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels 
to  each  other.  The  following  minimum  of  knowl- 
edge should  be  familiar:  Mark  is  one  of  the 
sources  of  Matthew  and  Luke.  The  last  two 
also  had  other  sources  in  common  besides  Mark 
(compare,  for  example,  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
which  is  not  in  Mark),  as  well  as  separate  sources. 
Even  so  little  knowledge  as  this  will  often  throw 


BIBLE     READING     COURSES  121 

great  light  on  the  Gospel  narratives,  but  an  intel- 
ligent reading  class  will  seek  in  Bible  dictionaries 
and  elsewhere  for  further  knowledge. 

3.  The  Gospel  of  John.     This  stands  so  independent 

of  the  Synoptics  that  only  at  certain  points,  as 
in  Chs.  6, 13, 18-20,  is  it  necessary  to  read  them  in 
connection  with  the  Fourth  Gospel.  The  Gospel 
of  John  may  be  read,  not  so  much  for  a  knowledge 
of  the  life  of  Jesus,  as  for  the  interpretation  of 
the  mission  and  character  of  Jesus  which  it  gives. 
Notice  the  growth  of  the  disciples'  faith;  of  the 
Jews'  enmity;  the  relation  of  Christ  to  God; 
the  purpose  of  his  mission  in  the  world;  his  love 
for  his  disciples.  Read  the  Gospel  in  the  light 
of  the  author's  statement  of  his  purpose  (20:31). 
After  the  Gospel  read  I  John,  as  another  expres- 
sion of  the  author's  idea  of  the  mission  of  Christ 
and  the  duties  and  privileges  of  the  Christian  life. 

4.  The  Book  of  Acts,  as  an  expression  of  two  things: 

(1)  The  geographical  expansion  of  Christianity 
(see  1:8),  (2)  The  growth  of  the  Church  as 
planned  by  God  and  not  by  man  (note  how  often 
in  the  book  man's  plans  are  supplemented  or 
changed  by  providential  guidance).  Raise  the 
question  of  whether  God  still  guides  the  Church 
in  its  parish  and  mission  work,  and  the  Christian 
in  his  personal  service  of  God  and  man. 

5.  Acts  and  the  Pauline  Epistles.   This  may  be 

done  with  only  the  Bible,  or  with  the  help  of  some 
Life  of  Paul.  A  good  aid  is  Burton's  Records 
and  Letters  of  the  Apostolic  Age,  which  covers  all 


122  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

the  New  Testament  except  the  Gospels.  Such 
a  reading  might  aim  to  give  a  general  knowl- 
edge of  Paul's  life  and  of  the  characteristics  and 
difficulties  of  the  early  churches.  The  point  of 
practical  comparison  will  be  between  Paul's  relig- 
ious life  and  ours,  and  between  the  religious  life 
of  the  churches  to  which  his  letters  were  written 
and  that  of  today.  Of  course  no  close  study 
of  the  system  of  Paul's  theology  will  be  made  in 
such  a  general  course. 
6.  Special  Letters  of  Paul.  A  short  course  of 
reading  may  be  taken  with  any  one  of  the  Pauline 
letters,  prefaced  with  brief  statements  of  the 
place  of  the  letter  in  Paul's  life,  its  occasion  and 
general  content,  and  the  characteristics  of  the 
church  addressed.  A  better  plan  would  be  to 
group  the  letters:  as  Galatians  and  Romans; 
the  Corinthian  letters;  the  letters  of  the  impris- 
onment (Ephesians,  Colossians,  Philemon,  Philip- 
pians).  Classes  using  such  courses  may  well  try 
to  gain  a  more  full  knowledge  of  Paul's  thought 
than  in  course  5 ;  but  here  also  the  chief  aim  should 
be  the  interpretation  of  the  religious  experience 
and  life  of  Paul  and  of  the  churches  to  which  he 
wrote.  Paul  may  have  been  great  as  a  theologian, 
but  he  was  greater  as  a  religious  man.  No  class 
can  come  under  the  spell  of  this  spirit  without 
breathing  in  a  desire  for  a  more  fully  devoted 
religious  life. 

Outline    Bible    Class    Courses.     5    cents 
each.     Pilgrim  Press:  Boston.     These  consist  of 


BIBLE     READING     COURSES  123 

small  pamphlets  with  bibliography  and  suggestions 
for  reading.  The  biblical  material  is  divided  into 
convenient  sections,  with  brief  notes  and  questions 
to  bring  out  the  most  important  points  of  the 
section. 

New  Testament  Courses: 

"The  Life  of  Christ  in  the  Four  Gospels."     Wood, 
"The  Book  of  Acts."     Wriston, 
"The  Life  of  Paul."     Hall. 
"The  Epistles  of  Paul."     Wood. 

Old  Testament  Courses: 

"Joshua  and  Judges."     Wood. 
"The  Book  of  First  Samuel."     Wriston, 
"The  Prophets  of  Israel."     Noyes. 
"Hebrew  Laws."     Wood. 
"The  Wisdom  Literature."     Wood. 
"The  Old  Testament  Apocrypha."     Wood. 
"The  Apocalyptic  Literature"  (Daniel  and  Revelation, 
with  Mark  13  and  II  Thes.  2:  1-12).     Wood. 

The  following  editions  of  the  Bible  are  of  interest 
to  the  reading  class: 

" The  Modern  Readers'  Bible."  Moulton.  Text  of  the 
English  Revised  Version,  arranged  in  paragraphs 
to  show  literary  structure. 

"The  Historical  Bible."  Kent.  Small  volumes  giving 
the  text  in  a  fresh  translation,  with  notes,  intro- 
ductions, and  historical  explanations.     Specially 


124  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

valuable  for  its  chronological  arrangement  of  the 
biblical  books. 
"The  Students'  Old  Testament."  Kent.  Larger  vol- 
umes than  the  "Historical  Bible,'*  with  more 
scholastic  and  critical  notes.  For  those  able  to 
do  thorough  biblical  study. 


XIII 

EXTRA-BIBLICAL  COURSES 

In  one  respect  extra-biblical  courses  of  religious 
instruction  are  older  than  the  Sunday-school  itself. 
The  teaching  of  catechisms  far  antedates  the 
founding  of  Sunday-schools,  or  even  the  use  of 
the  Bible  in  formal  religious  teaching.  Sunday- 
schools  in  the  Episcopal,  Catholic,  and  Lutheran 
churches,  and  to  a  less  extent  in  Presbyterian, 
Methodist,  and  some  other  churches,  have  always 
kept  a  certain  amount  of  extra-biblical  teaching. 
It  has,  however,  usually  been  confined  to  mem- 
orizing catechetical  questions  and  answers  with 
some  explanation  of  their  meaning,  and  has  been 
arranged  for  the  early  adolescent  age  and  designed 
as  part  of  the  preparation  for  confirmation  in 
churches  which  use  that  ceremony. 

The  courses  noted  in  this  chapter  are  intended 
for  a  totally  different  purpose  than  that  of  teaching 
in  condensed  form  the  doctrines  of  the  church. 
During  the  last  few  years  various  courses  of  extra- 
biblical  study  for  adult  classes  have  appeared. 
More  are  likely^ to  follow,  as  the  demand  for 

125 


126  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

greater  variety  of  adult  class  work  grows.  No 
energetic  class,  however,  needs  to  wait  the  pleasure 
of  editors  and  publishers.  A  class  may  make  its 
own  course.  All  that  is  needed  is  the  guidance 
of  someone  measurably  familiar  with  the  field 
chosen  for  study,  or  even  the  possession  of  a  book, 
not  necessarily  designed  for  class  use,  which  will 
form  the  basis  for  further  class  reading  and  dis- 
cussion. The  class  can  often  form  a  course 
better  adapted  to  its  particular  needs  than  any 
which  would  be  prepared  for  general  use.  In  this 
time  of  transition  in  Sunday-school  subjects  and 
methods,  adult  classes  should  be  encouraged  to 
choose  their  own  subjects  of  study  and  plan  their 
own  courses.  The  pastor  may  well  regard  it  as 
a  most  profitable  part  of  his  labor  to  assist  in 
such  plans.  Often,  however,  the  subject  which 
a  class  of  thoughtful  men  or  women  wish  to  study 
will  be  most  familiar,  not  to  the  pastor,  but  to 
some  business  or  professional  man  in  the  town. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  those  civic  and  social 
subjects  which  adult  classes  ought  to  study  much 
more  than  they  do  at  present,  in  order  that  their 
members  may  be  efficient  Christians,  politically 
and  socially. 

I.   Courses  in  Religious  History. 

Religions    before    Christianity.     C.    C.    Everett. 
Unitarian     Sunday     School     Society:      Boston. 


EXTRA -BIBLICAL     COURSES         127 

Paper,  15  cents;    boards,  20  cents.     A  brief  de- 
scription of  Comparative  Religion  by  a  master, 
prepared  for  class  use,  with  questions  and  bibli- 
ography.    Treats   briefly  of  the  earliest  religion, 
Hinduism,  Buddhism,  the  reUgions  of  the  Parsees, 
the    Chinese,    the    Egyptians,    the    Greeks,    and 
Romans,   and  the  comparison  of  these  religions 
with  each  other  and  with  Christianity.     A  good 
course. 
Religions   of   the   World.     G.   M.   Grant.     (Guild 
Textbooks.)    Revell :  New  York.    40  cents.    Deals 
with  only  four  of  the  great  religions  —  Moham- 
medanism,   Confucianism,    Hinduism,    and   Bud- 
dhism —  and  compares  each  with  Christianity. 
The  Early  Church,  its  History  and  Literature. 
James  Orr.     (Christian  Study   Manuals.)     Arm- 
strong:   New    York.     60    cents.     A    brief    book, 
with  topics  and  references. 
Church    History    Handbooks.     Henry    C.    Vedder. 
Baptist    Publication    Society:    Philadelphia.     40 
cents   per   volume.     Vol.    I.    The   Early  Period. 
Vol.  II.  The  Period  of  the  Reformation.     Vol.  III. 
Baptist  History.    Compact  manuals  with  bibliog- 
raphy and  questions  on  each  chapter.     Volumes 
I   and   II  may  profitably  be  used  by  classes  in 
any  denomination.     Their  clearness  makes  them 
specially   adapted   for   classes   desiring   a    simple 
presentation  of  church  history. 
Landmarks    of    Church    History.     Henry    Cowan. 
(Guild  Textbooks.)     Revell:  New  York.     Paper, 
25   cents;    boards,   40   cents.      The   book   covers 


128  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

the  history  of  the  Church  to  the  Reformation. 
Adapted  for  advanced  classes. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church.  Rev.  George 
R.  Van  de  Water.  Young  Churchman  Co.,  New 
York.  Two  parts,  15  cents  each.  Part  I,  Gen- 
eral History;  Part  II,  The  Church  in  England. 
Very  brief  chapters,  with  questions.  Prepared 
from  the  Episcopal  point  of  view. 

Outline  Bible-class  Courses.  Pilgrim  Press:  Bos- 
ton.    5  cents  each. 

"Church  History."  /.  F.  Wood.  "The  Church 
in  the  Reformation."  N.  M.  Hall.  "The  His- 
tory of  Missions."  I.  F.  Wood.  "The  History 
of  the  Bible  Versions."  I.  F.  Wood. 
A  set  of  pamphlets,  with  bibliographies  and  brief 
suggestions  for  their  use.  Each  lesson  suggests 
a  series  of  the  most  important  topics  to  be  con- 
sidered. The  courses  are  designed  for  classes  so 
situated  that  they  have  access  to  a  small  amount 
of  literature  and  can  use  these  pamphlets  to 
outline  their  reading  and  class  discussion.  The 
course  on  the  History  of  Missions  is  general  and 
designed  to  be  introductory  to  the  study  of  the 
missions  in  which  the  class  itself  is  interested. 

II.    Mission  Courses. 

The  various  denominational  Mission  Boards 
can  supply  any  class  with  programs  and  text- 
books for  the  study  of  the  missions  in  which  the 
church  is  interested.  The  following  are  from 
interdenominational  series  of  mission  study: 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         129 

The  Student  Volunteer  Movement  (125  E.  27th  St., 
New  York)  publish  a  long  list  of  Text-books 
OF  Mission  Study,  covering  the  general  subject, 
methods  and  needs,  and  India,  China,  Japan, 
Islam,  South  America,  missionary  biographies, 
religions  of  mission  fields.  The  books  are  de- 
signed for  college  student  classes,  but  might 
often  be  used  with  profit  by  adult  Sunday-school 
classes.  The  detailed  list,  which  is  enlarged 
yearly,  may  be  had  from  the  Student  Volunteer 
Movement.     25  cents  or  30  cents  each. 

The  Forward  Mission  Study  Courses.  Prepared 
for  the  Young  Peoples'  Missionary  Movement 
and  published  by  various  denominational  pub- 
lishing houses.  Books  designed  for  young  peoples' 
study,  attractively  written,  with  questions,  sug- 
gestions for  further  reading,  and  illustrations. 
The  books  would  be  of  special  value  to  classes 
desiring  a  somewhat  popular  treatment  of  the 
subject.  The  course  offers  books  of  mission 
biography,  general  history,  and  missions  in 
Japan,  Africa,  and  Home  Missions.  35  cents 
and  50  cents. 

Handbooks  for  the  United  Study  of  Missions. 
Prepared  by  the  Central  Committee  on  the  United 
Study  of  Missions.  Macmillan :  New  York.  Used 
largely  by  Women's  Missionary  Societies,  but  not 
less  useful  to  Sunday-school  classes.  Adapted  to 
classes  who  wish  something  more  advanced  than 
the  Forward  Mission  Study  Courses.  Carefully 
prepared  text-books,  with  topics  for  further  study. 


130  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

and  illustrations,  but  without  questions  on  the 
chapters.  Series  one  includes  books  on  the  Begin- 
nings of  Missions,  India,  China,  Japan,  Africa, 
The  Island  World  of  the  Pacific,  Missions  and 
Social  Progress.  Series  two  has  at  present  The 
Nearer  and  Farther  East  (Moslem  lands, 
Siam,  Burma,  and  Korea),  The  Gospel  in  Latin 
Lands.  Others  will  be  added.  Paper,  30  cents; 
cloth,  50  cents. 

III.    Denominational  Courses. 

A  study  which  every  adult  class  of  long  stand- 
ing ought  to  take  up  at  some  time  in  its  career 
is  the  history  of  its  own  denomination. 
Importance  This  should  not  be  done  in  the  spirit 
Study  of  of  denominational  boastfulness,  nor  of 
t^onal'ffis."  "apology"  or  "defense."  It  should  be 
tory  a    calm    study    of    facts,    with    frank 

acknowledgments  of  any  mistakes  and 
defects  in  the  past.  Few  denominations  exist 
which  have  not  some  dark  pages  in  their  history. 
Usually  the  reasons  for  former  mistakes  are  now 
perfectly  obvious,  and  the  subject  may  be  studied 
not  in  the  spirit  of  captious  criticism,  but  as  a 
warning  for  the  future.  The  same  feeling  which 
leads  people  at  present  to  take  a  larger  interest 
in  the  history  of  their  families  may  well  be  in- 
voked in  behalf  of  the  religious  family  to  which 
they  belong.  A  frank,  candid  study  of  the  his- 
tory of  their  own  denomination  can  hardly  fail 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         131 

to  make  them  more  generous  and  sympathetic 
toward  other  denominations.  So  interlocked  is 
all  the  history  of  the  modern  Church  that  any 
influence  which  has  affected  one  has  affected 
others.  Denominations  differ  very  much  in  mate- 
rial adapted  for  their  use.  Congregationalists,  for 
example,  have  little.  Methodists,  Baptists,  Pres- 
byterians, and  Unitarians  have  somewhat  more. 
Generally  the  pastor  can  help  a  class  to  what- 
ever literature  is  available,  but,  as  that  literature 
A  General  is  seldom  designed  for  class  use,  a  plan 
Outline  must  be  worked  out.  The  following 
outline  can  usually  be  adapted  to  special  needs: 
(1)  The  beginning  of  the  denomination;  early 
great  characters;  occasion  for  separation  from 
other  churches;  points  of  contact  with  earlier 
churches;  (2)  periods  of  growth,  characteristics 
of  each;  (3)  what  the  denomination  has  stood 
for;  (4)  its  contributions  to  American  life  and 
religion;  (5)  its  organization;  (6)  the  history  of 
its  missions,  educational  movements,  relation  to 
civic  and  social  reform  movements;  (7)  its 
theology  and  theological  growth;  (8)  its  present 
size  compared  with  other  Christian  bodies; 
(9)  its  recent  growth,  the  elements  which  develop 
or  retard  its  growth;  strength  and  weakness  of 
its  present  position  in  the  country;  (10)  present 
trend  in  its  theology  and  organization;  relation 
to  other  denominations;  prospects  of  unity  with 


132  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

any;  (11)  present  extent,  places,  prospects,  and 
home  support  of  missions;  (12)  the  duty  of  the 
individual  to  the  denomination;  (13)  what  can 
reasonably  be  expected  of  the  denomination  in 
the  future;  what  changes  are  needed  for  its 
improvement  and  what  historic  elements  ought 
to  be  strengthened  to  fit  it  for  the  best  service 
in  the  advancing  kingdom  of  God.  The  course 
might  well  close  with  one  or  two  lessons  on 
the  history  and  present  needs  and  problems  of 
the  individual  church  with  which  the  class  is 
connected. 

IV.    Courses  on  Doctrine. 

There  is  a  deep  interest  among  the  most  intel- 
ligent people  in  the  history  and  present  condition 
of  Christian  thought.  Theology  is  not  popular, 
but  we  are,  in  fact,  more  interested  in  theology 
than  we  think  we  are.  One  great  reason  for  this 
interest  is  the  widespread  idea,  which  is  quite 
correct,  that  theological  thought  is  at  present 
undergoing  profound  changes.  In  this  age  of 
progress  anything  which  is  changing  commands 
interest.  It  is  recognized  as  being  not  dead,  but 
living  and  dynamic.  Christian  people  do  not 
quite  know  what  the  trend  of  change  in  theology 
is.  They  are  sometimes  suspicious  of  theological 
changes;  more  often  they  would  welcome  them,  if 
they  felt  sure  they  knew  what  the  changes  were; 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         133 

but  usually  they  are  at  least  interested  in  the 
subject.  There  is  no  place  in  the  church  or  out 
of  it  more  fitting  and  profitable  for  a  study  of  the 
past  and  present  religious  thinking  than  the  adult 
class.     The  subject  divides  into  two  parts: 

1.    The  Teaching  of  the  Bible. 

It  ought  always  to  be  remembered  that  on 
many  subjects  the  Bible  teaching  is  not  a  unity. 
On  the  great  subjects,  like  the  power  and  love  of 
God,  man's  need  of  divine  help,  the  revelation 
of  God  through  prophets  and  finally  through 
Christ  —  "those  things  needful  for  salvation"  — 
the  Bible  speaks  with  a  single  voice,  but  on  many 
subjects  about  which  the  Christian  Church  has 
wrangled,  the  writers  of  the  Bible  are  either  not 
clear  or  not  in  seeming  harmony.  On  these  sub- 
jects one  speaks  not  of  the  teaching  of  the  Bible, 
but  of  the  teaching  of  Paul,  of  John,  of  the  syn- 
optic writers. 

A  simple  series  of  great  value,  with  emphasis  on 
the  ethical  side  of  biblical  teaching,  is  the  Bible 
Study  Union  Courses  on  Old  Testament  Teach- 
ings, Foundation  Truths,  Gospel  Teachings,  and 
Christian  Doctrines  and  Duties   (see  page  88). 
The  Truth  of  Christianity.    James  Iverach.     (Bible 
Class    Primers.)     T.    &    T.    Clark:    Edinburgh. 
20  cents.     The  rise  of  Christianity  and  its  dis- 
tinguishing features. 
Protestant  Principles.    J.  Munro  Gibson.     (Chris- 


134  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

tian  Study  Manuals.)  Armstrong:  New  York. 
60  cents,  A  manual  of  Protestant  beliefs  arranged 
for  class  use. 

2.  Historic  Beliefs  of  the  Christian 
Church. 

A  good  study  of  the  growth  of  belief  may  be 
made  by  classes  of  the  more  advanced  sort  through 
the  great  creeds  of  the  Church,  taken  in  chrono- 
logical order;  the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  Nicene 
Creed,  the  Augsburg  Confession,  the  Creed  of 
the  Council  of  Trent,  the  Thirty-nine  Articles, 
the  Westminster  Catechism  and  Confession,  the 
Arminian  Creed,  and  any  other  creeds  belonging 
to  the  denomination  which  the  class  represents. 
Copies  of  these  creeds  may  be  obtained  from  the 
various  denominational  publishing  houses.  The 
class  should  aim  to  find  out  what  the  creeds  meant 
when  they  were  written;  what  were  the  con- 
troversies out  of  which  they  arose;  what  views 
they  were  intended  to  emphasize;  how  they  have 
been  used  by  the  churches,  and  how  strictly  they 
are  to  be  construed  at  present.  This  last  brings 
up  the  interesting  question  of  the  relation  of 
historic  creeds  to  living  Christianity;  whether  a 
creed  is  a  report  of  progress  in  Christian  thought 
or  the  permanent  statement  of  an  abiding  truth. 
Some  classes  would  be  interested  to  read  with 
their  study  selections  from  Athanasius,  Augustine, 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         135 

Anselm  {Cur  Deus  Homo),  Luther,  Calvin, 
Edwards,  and  some  books  of  the  present  day. 
Most  literary  clubs  could  easily  find  time  for 
an  equivalent  amount  of  reading.  We  ought  to 
expect  as  much  of  the  adult  class  as  we  do  of  the 
ordinary  literary  club. 

IV.  Courses  on  Civic  and  Social  Christian 
Duties. 

This  subject  ought  to  be  the  crown  of  all  adult 
class  work.  How  to  apply  religion  to  practical 
life  is,  for  the  adult  class,  vocational  teaching. 
It  is  our  business  to  be  efficient  in  the  kingdom  of 
God;  and  there  is  no  better  place  to  discuss  the 
subjects  which  pertain  to  this  efficiency  than  in 
the  adult  class.  The  present  interest  in  social 
religion  will  without  doubt  produce  many  more 
courses  than  can  at  present  be  listed. 

A  field  of  social  study  just  beginning  to  attract 
attention  is  "The  Parents'  Department."  The 
church  has  done  little  to  help  parents  meet  the 
problems  of  moral  and  religious  training.  The 
best  place  to  provide  such  help  is  in  parents' 
classes  in  the  Sunday-schools.  Courses  may  be 
arranged  on  the  basis  of  some  of  the  best  books 
of  child-study,  or  of  informal  and  practical  dis- 
cussion of  the  phases  of  religious  and  moral 
training  in  the  modern  home.  Plans  for  such 
courses  are  outlined  in  a  small  pamphlet,    The 


136  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

Home  and  the  Sunday  School,  by  Edward  P. 
St.  John  (Pilgrim  Press:  Boston).  An  excellent 
course  prepared  by  Professor  St.  John  appears  in 
the  Sunday-school  magazines  of  the  Congrega- 
tional, Presbyterian,  Methodist  Episcopal,  and 
Southern  Methodist  denominations  for  1911,  and 
will  probably  be  published  later  in  permanent 
form. 

Social  Service  Series.  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society:  Philadelphia.  10  cents  and  15  cents. 
The  topics  to  be  treated  include  The  Church  and 
the  Family;  The  Church  and  the  Community; 
The  Church  and  Wealth  and  Industry;  The 
Church  and  Politics;  The  Church  and  Social 
Waste.  A  series  of  pamphlets  by  authorities  in 
social  study,  30  to  50  pages,  each  complete  in 
itself  and  dealing  with  a  special  phase  of  the 
social  question,  but  without  questions  or  other 
devices  for  class  use.  The  series  is  edited  by 
Prof.  Shailer  Mathews.  These  pamphlets  are 
admirable  presentations  of  the  present  social  sit- 
uation. They  may  be  used  in  any  order,  and  as 
much  time  given  to  each  publication  as  the  subject 
demands.  It  will  be  most  profitable  if  the  class 
studies  the  various  subjects  in  the  light  of  local 
conditions,  using  their  own  church  and  town 
as  a  touchstone  for  the  facts  and  ideas  put  for- 
ward in  the  pamphlets.  There  have  been  pub- 
lished : 

Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Question.    Francis  G. 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         137 

Peahody.  Macmillan:  New  York.  $1.50.  A 
careful  and  comprehensive  study  of  social  prob- 
lems in  the  light  of  Jesus'  teaching.  One  of  the 
best  books  on  the  subject. 

The  Social  Teaching  of  Jesus.  Shailer  Mathews. 
Macmillan:  New  York.  $1.50.  A  clear,  simple, 
and  scholarly  study  of  the  social  elements  of 
Jesus*  teaching  in  the  light  of  the  modern  situa- 
tion.    An  excellent  book. 

A  Reasonable  Social  Policy  for  Christian  People. 
Charles  R.  Henderson. 

Ethical  and  Religious  Significance  of  the  State. 
James  Quayle  Dealey. 

A  Working  Temperance  Program.  Samuel  Zane 
Batten. 

The  Church  and  the  Labor  Movement.  Charles 
Stelzle. 

The  City:  As  it  Is  and  as  it  Is  to  Be.  Clinton 
Rogers  Woodruff. 

The  Churches  Outside  the  Church.  George  W. 
Coleman. 

The   Home   as    the    School   for   Social   Living. 
H.  F.  Cope. 
Other  numbers  are  in  preparation. 

I.  Christian  Character.  II.  Christian  Conduct. 
T.  B.  Kilpatrick.  (Bible  Class  Primers.)  T.  &  T. 
Clark:  Edinburgh.  20  cents  each.  Two  small 
books  showing  how  Christian  ethics  grew  out  of 
the  teachings  of  Jesus,  how  it  applied  in  the  early 
Church  and  how  it  applies  today. 

The   Gospel  at   Work   in   Modern   Life.    Robert 


138  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

Whitaker.  The  Griffith  and  Rowland  Press: 
Philadelphia.  50  cents.  A  book  of  twelve  lessons 
prepared  for  the  Sacred  Literature  Course  in 
Baptist  Young  Peoples'  Societies.  It  discusses 
the  modern  Christian's  problems,  the  relation  of 
the  Gospel  to  the  home,  the  church,  social  better- 
ment, business,  and  recreations.  Each  chapter 
is  followed  by  questions  and  topics  for  further 
study.  The  book  is  interestingly  written  in  an 
easy  style,  and  could  be  well  used  in  classes  desir- 
ing a  course  not  too  advanced. 

The  Citizen  and  the  Neighbor.  Rev.  Charles  F.  Dole. 
Unitarian  Sunday  School  Society:  Boston.  Paper, 
20  cents;  boards,  25  cents.  The  topics  considered 
are  Government:  its  Purpose  and  its  Abuses,  the 
Good  Citizen,  Wealth,  Crime,  War,  Arbitration, 
etc.  Questions  for  class  use  are  appended.  A  good 
presentation  of  general  civic  rights  and  duties. 
A  class  might  well  use  it  as  a  basis  for  a  study 
of  the  meaning  and  obligations  of  citizenship. 

Studies  in  Local  Philanthropy.  The  Race 
Problem.  Lessons  on  Present  Day  Problems 
—  THE  Land,  Transportation,  Government 
Questions.  (Friends'  Graded  Series.)  Walter  H. 
Jenkins:  Philadelphia.  5  cents  each.  Outlines 
prepared  for  adult  classes,  with  questions  and 
suggested  readings.  Clear  statements  of  fact  in 
social  and  economic  conditions. 

Outline    Bible    Class    Courses.     Pilgrim    Press: 
Boston.     5  cents  each. 
The  Problems  of  a  Twentieth  Century  City. 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         139 

Outlines  of  a  course  in  Philanthropy.  H.  M.  Burr. 
A  Study  of  the  City.  N.  M.  Hall.  Small 
pamphlets  with  outlines  of  lessons,  suggestions  for 
study,  and  unusually  extensive  and  valuable  bibli- 
ographies. The  outline  of  study  will  apply  to 
any  city  or  large  town.  Most  excellent  for  any 
town  class,  whether  advanced  or  elementary, 
which  wishes  to  make  a  good  study  of  its  own 
social  environment.  A  class  composed  largely 
of  men  ought  to  be  formed  once  in  every  five 
years  in  every  progressive  church  to  study  this 
subject. 

Unitarian  Social  Series.  American  Unitarian 
Association:  Boston.  A  set  of  pamphlets  and 
text-books  (the  text-books  25  cents  each),  covering 
such  subjects  as  child  labor,  immigration,  the 
negro  problem,  the  labor  problem,  the  liquor 
problem,  poverty,  concentrated  wealth.  A  series 
of  compact  studies  by  specialists. 

The  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom.  Edited  by  Josiah 
Strong.  The  American  Institute  of  Social  Service 
Bible  House,  Astor  Place,  New  York.  5  cents  a 
number,  50  cents  a  year.  "A  course  of  study 
for  men  and  women  on  living  social  problems  in 
the  light  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.'*  Each 
number  is  devoted  to  a  distinct  topic  and  contains 
four  or  five  lessons  which  include  a  Scripture 
basis,  facts,  subjects  for  study  and  discussion. 
The  subjects  include  child  labor,  women  in  indus- 
try, wealth,  organization  of  labor,  civic  corruption, 
public  utilities,  socialism,  immigration,  prison  re- 


140  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

form,  intemperance,  the  race  question,  and  other 
subjects.  Compact  and  judicious  statements  of 
the  actual  conditions  are  given.  The  class  may- 
choose  from  the  list  of  subjects  those  in  which  it 
is  specially  interested,  and  so  arrange  a  course  of 
such  content  and  length  as  may  seem  best.  The 
"biblical  basis"  makes  the  study  suitable  for 
classes  which  wish  to  keep  their  work  connected 
with  the  Bible.  A  good  course  with  which  to 
begin  social  study. 

V.  Biography  and  Literature  Outside  of 
Specific  Church  Circles. 

This  broad  field  is  properly  open  to  the  class 
under  certain  restrictions  (see  chapter  V) .  Very 
few  such  courses  for  Sunday-schools  have  been 
published,  but  Chautauqua  and  reading  club 
courses  may  be  adapted,  provided  only  that  the 
religious  values  of  the  subjects  chosen  be  kept  in 
the  foreground.  The  following  unpublished  course 
by  Rev.  Newton  M.  Hall,  D.D.,  is  an  excellent 
example  of  how  literature  may  be  used  to  serve  a 
religious  purpose: 

THE  RELIGIOUS  POETRY  OF  WHITTIER 

1.  Early  Training.  Quaker  parentage.  Country 
environment.  Early  religious  itifluences.  Hardships 
and  self-denial.  Limited  school  privilege.  Few  books, 
mostly  of  a  religious  nature.  Influence  of  visitors  at 
homestead.     Early  attempts  at  literature.     Brief  time 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         141 

spent  at  Haverhill  Academy.     (See  "Snow  Bound,'* 
"The  Barefoot  Boy,"  for  biographical  details.) 

2.  Development  of  Manhood.  Editorial  and 
literary  work.  Patriotism.  Desire  for  political  life. 
Early  absorption  in  anti-slavery  movement.  The 
active  campaign  against  slavery.  High  moral  motive. 
Literary  activity  of  middle  life.  Serene  and  gracious 
old  age. 

3.  Personal  Characteristics.  Retiring  disposi- 
tion yet  genial  nature.  Love  of  intimate  friends. 
Love  of  books.  Love  of  nature.  Strong  religious 
nature.  Liberal  views.  Intense  moral  indignation 
against  wrong.  Well-balanced  nature.  Devout  and 
blameless  private  life. 

Religious  Poems.  The  religious  spirit  breathes 
through  all  Whittier's  poetry.  Even  in  his  treatment 
of  the  most  secular  themes  it  appears.  The  close  of 
"Snow  Bound"  with  the  beautiful  thoughts  upon  im- 
mortality is  an  illustration.  We  may,  however,  group 
the  distinctly  religious  and  moral  poems  as  follows: 

1.  Poems  upon  Slavery.  This  division  may  profit- 
ably be  prefaced  by  a  discussion  of  the  moral  inten- 
sity of  the  anti-slavery  movement.  The  utterances 
of  the  great  leaders  had  a  prophetic  quality.  The 
following  are  the  most  significant  poems  of  the  group: 
"The  Slave  Ships";  "Expostulation";  "Stanzas  for 
the  Times";  "A  Summons";  "Pennsylvania  Hall"; 
"The  New  Year";  "The  World's  Convention"; 
"Massachusetts  to  Virginia";  "New  Hampshire"; 
"Song  of  Slaves  in  the  Desert";  "Moloch  in  State 
Street";  "The  Panorama";  "The  Watchers." 


142  ADULT    CLASS    STUDY 

2.  Poems  of  Labor.  While  not  definitely  enlisted 
in  any  sociological  movement,  Whittier  after  the  war 
became  deeply  interested  in  the  development  of  de- 
mocracy toward  the  betterment  of  social  conditions. 
The  poems  along  this  line  are  "Democracy";  '*The 
Gallows";  ''Songs  of  Labor";  "The  Prisoner  for 
Debt";  **The  Poor  Voter  on  Election  Day";  "The 
Eve  of  Election";  "After  Election";  "Disarmament." 

3.  Distinctly  Religious  Poems. 

(1)  Poems  descriptive  of  the  Holy  Land :  "The  Star 
of  Bethlehem";  "The  Cities  of  the  Plain";  "The 
Call  of  the  Christian";  "The  Crucifixion";  "Pales- 
tine"; "Ezekiel";  "The  Wife  of  Manoah  to  her 
Husband";  "The  Holy  Land." 

(2)  Poems  of  the  Spiritual  Life:  "My  Soul  and  I"; 
"Questions  of  Life";  "First  Day  Thoughts";  "Trini- 
tas";  "The  Over  Heart";  "The  Shadow  and  the 
Light";  "Andrew  Rykman's  Prayer";  "The  Eternal 
Goodness";  "Our  Master";  "The  Meeting";  "The 
Prayer  Seeker";  "The  Prayer  of  Agassiz";  "In 
Quest";  "The  Friend's  Burial";  "The  Healer"; 
"The  Vision  of  Echard";  "At  Last";  "The  Mystic's 
Christmas";  "The  Light  that  is  Felt";  "Adjustment." 

4.  Characteristics  of  Religious  Poetry.  Simplicity 
of  faith;  devout  spirit;  the  present  Christ;  breadth  of 
thought;  freedom  from  conventionality;  appeal  to  the 
common  religious  consciousness;  the  religion  of  the 
heart;  absolute  reliance  upon  God;  lack  of  definite 
theological  system;  strong  belief  in  immortality. 

Suggestions  for  Topic  Study.  "Whittier  and  the 
Quakers."     "Whittier   and   the   Anti-Slavery    Move- 


EXTRA-BIBLICAL     COURSES         143 

ment."  The  Effect  of  Whittier's  Environment  upon 
his  Development."  "The  Place  of  Moral  Ideas  in 
Poetry."  "Whittier's  Theology."  "Whittier's  Idea 
of  Christ."     "Whittier's  Service  to  Humanity." 

Bibliography.     Life  and  Letters  of  John  Greenleaf 
Whittier.     Samuel  T.  Pickard,     Houghton  Miffin  Co. 


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